Get the day's biggest United stories delivered straight to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

That was some celebration in the KCOM Stadium's East Stand. Marcus Rashford followed up his knee slide by embracing Manchester United supporters, a jubilant Wayne Rooney and Zlatan Ibrahimovic collided into each other, Marouane Fellaini tended to a stricken fan and Reds poured onto the pitch in scenes reminiscent of Villa Park '99. Or 2002.

No one made an entrance quite like Eric Bailly, though. Sliding into view like Sol Campbell's never-ending tackle, he leaped onto the throng and went for the crowd-surfer, almost disappearing into the melee amid the goon. Rio Ferdinand, such a euphoric celebrator he once accidentally slapped a referee, would have approved.

It was the highlight of Bailly's evening in Hull, yet he was still voted man of the match by United's Twitter followers. The three choices made by MUTV pundits Alex Stepney and Lou Macari were curious - there was no Marcus Rashford or Henrikh Mkhitaryan - and Bailly saw off Daley Blind by almost 8,000 retweets. It is the third time United fans have voted Bailly the best performer in his four games.

Regardless of Bailly's dubious honour, he has quickly justified his extravagant £30million transfer fee. It is early days and a bad performance is inevitable, but in an age where clubs are paying excessive fees for centre halves, Jose Mourinho might have identified a gem in Bailly.

What makes the 22-year-old's start so astonishing is how often newly signed United defenders have struggled to adjust at Old Trafford. Gary Pallister joined United for a British record fee in that purposeful summer of 1989 but five games into his United career he had suffered three defeats, one being the infamous 5-1 devastation at City, a defeat that left Sir Alex Ferguson 'feeling like a criminal'. United finished the season, redeemed only by the FA Cup win, 13th.

Jaap Stam, the world's most expensive defender in 1998, was given a chasing by Arsenal's Nicolas Anelka in the Charity Shield after a shaky World Cup. Ferdinand, another world record addition for a defender, endured an injury-plagued time in his first few months in M16 and lacked a settled partner. Nemanja Vidic elicited a lacerating review from Alan Hansen on Match of the Day after his first Premier League start ended with David Bentley scoring a hat-trick and Marcos Rojo was a liability at centre-back and left-back.

You would have to go all the way back to 1997 to find the last defensive signing who immediately looked serene in a United shirt: Henning Berg.

In an attempt to move away from the antiquated British partnership of an over-the-hill Pallister and David May, Ferguson recruited Norwegian duo Ronny Johnsen and Berg in successive summers. Johnsen was an impeccable addition from Besiktas but was just as effective as a holding midfielder as he was a defender. Berg, a long-time Ferguson target, joined for £5m in August 1997 and United kept six clean sheets in his first seven games, conceding just once.

Berg at least had the benefit of four years' Premier League experience with Blackburn - winning a title winner's medal in 1995 - and was 27 when he made the 35-mile trip down the M61. Bailly is only 22 and arrived from the relative serenity of La Liga to the ramshackle physicality of English football, yet is a worthy contender to win not just United's but the Premier League's Player of the Month award.

In the Community Shield three weeks ago, he monstered a title-winning striker in Jamie Vardy, who only had a sniff when he latched onto Marouane Fellaini's underhit backpass. United needed a centre half if they were to compete for the title and, despite his relative inexperience, Bailly could be regarded as the signing of the season in nine months' time. He possesses speed, strength and skill. The only downside is Real Madrid will probably want him in two years' time.

Blind's role in Bailly's transition should not go unheralded. This author was guilty of describing the Dutchman as a 'stop-gap' centre-back as recently as last month but Blind might be the most consistent defender in the league over the last year. Regardless of the Premier League's dwindling quality, that is an exceptional feat and his ability to speak Spanish must have contributed to Bailly swiftly slotting into United's back four.

Bailly will eventually produce a performance so bad it will make him consider becoming as reclusive as Howard Hughes. Ferdinand, initially, performed so poorly after he earned his lucrative 2005 contract he was fortunate not to receive louder boos than those he did when angling for a new deal and only really justified his fee in his fifth season. Peaks and troughs are inevitable for Bailly but he is already ahead of the curve.

His first month merits its own celebration.