In the first half especially, Matic produced a masterclass in positioning, ball recovery and control which proved key as Jose Mourinho's side got off to a winning start.
Matic won the ball back before Romelu Lukaku put United 1-0 up as the Serbian started to pay back his €40m transfer fee.
As if that weren't enough, he also produced moments such as the one below, leaving opponents treailing in his wake, not something that he is particularly associated with.
Such was his performance that Matic started tending on Twitter. Everyone was talking about the 29-year-old... and asking why Chelsea let him go.
En 45 minutos Nemanja Matic ha dado un auténtico RECITAL de fútbol. Este es uno de sus detalles. pic.twitter.com/vBJyyVuaXs
— Marco Carrascal (@Marco_Carrascal) August 13, 2017