Anthony Martial the magnificent exception, who reflects United's truest traditions

Inside the renamed Sir Bobby Charlton Stand was the Roy Keane statue. Only one, admittedly, is an official edifice at Old Trafford. On the day the South Stand was restyled to commemorate Manchester United’s greatest servant, it contained their most iconic captain.

United are yet to set Keane in stone. In the absence of a sculpture, he impersonated one. Glowering in perfect stillness, appearing to express perpetual disapproval at a game that can scarcely have met his exacting standards, he seemed a frozen figure, even as United won courtesy of their most vibrant and energetic individual, Anthony Martial.

Keane’s visits to Old Trafford are rarities these days – before their descent to League One, he tended to frequent Wigan’s DW Stadium rather more than return to his former club – and the latest was probably prompted by the presence of Everton’s Irish contingent. He has never seemed the sentimental type and took his seat too late to see the ceremony to honour Charlton. “There were some tears in my eyes,” said an unusually emotional Louis van Gaal. “He was an idol of mine.”

But, with different generations of United luminaries watching on, from Charlton and Paddy Crerand via Sir Alex Ferguson, Keane, Nicky Butt and Ryan Giggs to the injured Wayne Rooney, it was fitting that victory was secured by two of the few modern-day players who have the potential to join them in the pantheon. Martial was marvellous, David de Gea defiant. The Spaniard only had one save of note to make, but it was imperative he made it and when Phil Jagielka’s late shot was repelled, United took a step towards securing a top-four finish.

They never finished lower than third in Keane’s day, but times have changed. A perfectionist witnessed a club where standards have slipped, where consolation prizes are being chased as a sign of success, where connections with past glories are being cherished as a sign that United retain at least some of their old identity.

Martial provided the pace and purpose United exuded in Keane’s heyday, but too few others did. The presence of their No. 9 on the scoresheet was a welcome throwback to Charlton’s playing days. The three key contributors to the goal, in Marcus Rashford, Tim Fosu-Mensah and Martial, have a combined age of 56. With one of the last of the Busby Babes and a couple of Fergie’s Fledglings in attendance, it contained the suggestion that Van Gaal’s goslings, or Louis’ lads, are in keeping with United’s truest traditions.

The performance was not. United are accustomed to goalless first halves, and this was another, lacking a shot on target until Martial broke the deadlock. Lady Norma Charlton looked astonished, the disbelief that United had scored evident on her face, even though it was their 1,000th home Premier League goal and she must have witnessed the vast majority of the previous 999.

“We have only created two chances and we scored a goal so that is very effective,” added Van Gaal. Efficiency was unexciting. Such threat as there was involved Martial, a £36 million forward excelling in front of Charlton, whose team-mate Tommy Taylor had been a British record signing at the princely sum of £29,999.

Like Taylor, John Stones was unearthed at Barnsley. The Evertonian made a magnificent crunching, saving tackle on Martial. The suggestion he is too soft to be a centre-half seemed disproved. “He didn’t put a foot wrong,” said manager Roberto Martinez. “We should highlight the things he does right.” Booing supporters highlighted what Everton’s underachievers, 12th in the league after three straight defeats, are doing wrong. “You can hear our boos in the dressing room,” said Martinez, suggesting his players joined in the jeers.

United have heard the catcalls themselves this season. Not this time, even though Van Gaal conceded: “It was more or less a stolen victory.” Martial’s injections of urgency aside, United are a side lacking the drive Keane provided. Michael Carrick has been a distinguished, if very different, successor in the No. 16 shirt but he was ineffectual and replaced. His Old Trafford career may be entering its final few weeks.

Others have lengthier contracts, but there are cases to include them in culls nonetheless. The exuberant, influential Fosu-Mensah came on because the jet-lagged Marcos Rojo was replaced at half-time, an oft-injured player suffering an acute case of twisted blood after facing Everton’s resident slalom runner, Gerard Deulofeu. One of Van Gaal’s rather rushed pieces of recruitment – the Dutchman’s scouting was so flimsy he did not realise the Argentine used to play for Spartak Moscow – illustrates that, while £285m has been spent in his reign, United still look in need of a major overhaul.

Martial is the successful signing, the outlier who can obscure the failings of the others. “It is fantastic what he is doing,” said Van Gaal. “With his age, he is an exception.” Within this side he is, too.

But, even without a Keane-style general, a goalscorer and a goalkeeper can take a side a long way. Martial and De Gea may yet parachute United into the Champions League. “If we lose today, the victory against Manchester City is worthless,” said Van Gaal. “Now we keep in touch with [Manchester] City, one point behind. We keep in touch with Arsenal, five points behind. Sir Bobby Charlton was very pleased in the dressing room.” High in the directors’ box, Roy Keane looked rather less impressed.