The stuttering manner in which Manchester United took the three points provided only further confirmation of the surgery required by David Moyes. The team remain shaky at the back, sluggish in attack, and seriously lacking in ideas when the opposition crowds them, as Cardiff City did at times on Tuesday .

The latter problem was again evident despite the full debut Juan Mata, following his transfer from Chelsea, though when the Spaniard finds the silky smooth rhythm with which he can run and win matches United may yet prove a potent force this season despite still trailing a Champions League position by six points, following Liverpool’s win in the Merseyside derby.

After the first question of the evening was settled – Mata was, indeed, in the starting XI – all eyes were on how Manchester United would perform. Alongside the club record £37.1m buy was the returning Robin van Persie who seemed to have last featured an age ago – it was actually 10 December – following a thigh problem, with Moyes also able to name Wayne Rooney as a substitute, after the abductor injury that has caused the England international to miss five games.

For the returning old boy Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who ended his United career seven years ago, there was a tumultuous reception from the Old Trafford crowd when the Cardiff manager strode out to take up his seat on the bench.

United started brightly, winning a corner after Ryan Giggs slipped in Patrice Evra. With six minutes gone they were ahead after a move begun by Mata. Evra then linked with Van Persie who fed Young and from his curled cross Antonio Valencia headed against the bar. Van Persie reacted quickest and after David Marshall saved his initial header the Dutchman made no mistake with a second to score his first goal since the winner against Arsenal at Old Trafford on 10 November.

In his pre-match notes Moyes reiterated the message about the rebuilding job he will undertake and how Mata is the first of many top-line signings. Replenishing central midfield continues to be the hoariest of issues at the champions and the way the 22-year-old Jordan Mutch ghosted past Ryan Giggs, now a greying 40, was merely the latest illustration.

Moyes also has doubts about the defence. On more than one occasion the centre-back pairing of Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans has struggled in the air this season – and when Craig Noone nearly profited from a Cardiff corner after the Norther Ireland international Evans missed a header it brought the manager out of his seat to make his displeasure known.

Later Kevin McNaughton was able to move in behind the home defence and send in a cross that again was not dealt with and Fraizer Campbell should have done better with a header that flicked harmlessly wide.

Another of this season’s maladies had also crept in as half-time approached: the sideways, half-paced stuff that makes United too static.

The message Moyes might have offered to his team ahead of the second half was that they should increase the tempo. Solskjaer, on the other hand, could have repeated his mantra after Saturday’s 4-2 defeat at Manchester City: that his troops needed to be more confident if they hope to prosper.

There was an early chance for United to double their advantage when Valencia played in a ball from the right but Van Persie fell as he shaped to shoot and his effort went wide.

The sense that Cardiff might swarm forward to equalise any second was heightened when Kim, on for Mutch, took possession near the right of United’s area and fired in a delivery that, again, Campbell met first. This followed Declan John racing down Cardiff’s left to expose United as the visitors enjoyed time camped in and around the opposing area.

This all meant that Young’s strike brought extra relief when it arrived moments later. Mata was the provider, setting up the winger who cut inside from the left and delivered a shot that beat Marshall with ease.

In the 62nd minute the contest became more satisfying for United fans as Rooney entered for Van Persie to slot into his lone forward berth to leave Mata is his favoured No10. Rooney will have been frustrated at not joining Van Persie on the scoresheet though he could admire a raking 30-yard pass from Phil Jones that sent Valencia in on Marshall, who tipped the winger’s shot on to the right post.

So United ended victorious – Adnan Januzaj might have made it 3-0 but sent his effort off target – yet against the league’s bottom team they should have been more convincing.

• Premier League
• Manchester United
• Cardiff City

Daniel Taylor
Jamie Jackson

theguardian.com