Two hundred and ninety five days and 41 Manchester United matches separated the 1-1 home draw with Chelsea in April last year and their two-goal triumph at Stamford Bridge last month.

The former was a real low point for the Reds – in the midst of a prolonged run of poor form, and with central defender Eric Bailly sustaining a serious knee injury.

But the recent triumph in West London was a genuine sea-change both for the club and the player, who played his first game since returning from his lengthy rehabilitation process.

Back with a bang

United rode their luck at times at the Blues – Harry Maguire controversially avoided a red card while two goals were chalked off for the hosts, but the Red Devils produced a magnificent defensive display of resilience and self-belief. After an understandably shaky opening 15 minutes, Bailly was imperious. Playing in a back three alongside Maguire and Luke Shaw, he showed why he was missed.

There were two moments which demonstrated Bailly’s undoubted quality. In the first half, he robbed Michy Batshuayi of the ball in his own penalty area before a cheeky dummy and run up the pitch to alleviate pressure showed his awareness and ability on the ball – something Ole Gunnar Solskjaer demands from his defenders. The second starring moment was more conventional defending to block what appeared to be a certain Chelsea goal – Mateo Kovacic broke free behind United’s defence and looked certain to fire home before the Ivorian, out of nowhere, sprinted into the camera frame to provide a goal-saving block. After the game, Solskjaer described the piece of play as ‘out-of-this-world’.

Physical attributes

Bailly was Jose Mourinho’s first signing at United almost four years ago – the Portuguese boss knew the team required more physicality and dynamism, two qualities which the Ivorian instantly brings to the table. Unlike the more languid and self-assured Victor Lindelof, Bailly is a strong and commanding defender while also possessing a remarkable burst of acceleration.

This quality set is particularly important for games in which United are likely to dominate possession and push their defence higher up the pitch. The space left in behind the back-line – and especially on a spacious Old Trafford pitch – means that quick recoveries, such as Bailly’s on Kovacic at the Bridge, are vital to snuff out counter-punches from visiting teams. No other central defender at the club possesses such quick recovery times.

Central defensive options

Under Solskjaer, United have shown flexibility between playing a conventional flat back four and a 3-5-2 system, incorporating three central defenders and two wing-backs. Brandon Williams and Aaron Wan-Bissaka proved their suitability for such positions in the recent victories over Chelsea and Manchester City. Shaw has impressed on the left-side of a three, which has worked with great success against teams who United cede possession to.

Captain Maguire marshals the middle with Bailly and Lindelof the main contenders for the final position, with Axel Tuanzebe another candidate. It is a system which works well as any of the three central defenders are comfortable of advancing with the ball at their feet and playing it into midfield. This transition phase allows United to play their way out of the back whilst minimising risks.

Bailly knows he has a fight on his hands for a regular first-team position but he possesses the attributes to make him comfortable in both of these systems. This flexibility should ensure that, if he steers clear of injuries, he will be able to secure a prominent role for the Red Devils going forward.