Manchester United have found a different dimension to their midfield with the addition of Donny van de Beek, according to journalist Daniel Harris.

Harris joined OTB AM to preview Manchester United's Champions League clash with Paris St Germain, and believes that the Dutch midfielder's savviness is key to United's progression.

van de Beek

Manchester United's Donny van de Beek during the Premier League match at Old Trafford, Manchester.

"He arrived as someone who had proved themselves in the Champions League. I hadn't seen loads of him before he came, but I had liked what I had seen.

"Everyone has liked what they've seen more [since joining United.] He is a really intelligent player.

"One of the things that you notice about him is that he's always looking over his shoulder; always assessing where people are on the pitch - where his teammates are and where his opponents are.

"He has received a brilliant football education, which means that he can play in a lot of different positions and having him on the pitch is useful."

Harris believes that van de Beek's utility is a particular bonus for United given the status of another star player in their side.

"If [van de Beek] is not playing, if you stop Bruno Fernandes then you go a long way to stopping United.

"The strikers can all create goals for themselves and can all score out of nothing, the other midfielders are going to outrun the other team but they are not going to out-pass the other team or create much.

"If you have got two creators in midfield, they are two really good, intelligent players who understand each other and that becomes much harder to stop."

There are subtle differences between van de Beek and Fernandes that offer United different dimensions, according to Harris.

"When van de Beek plays with Fernandes, I think United like a much more dangerous and better team.

"Fernandes isn't a player that helps you control a game that much, he is someone who helps you win a game; he provides decisive moments with passes and goals.

"van de Beek gives you that, but he also participates in the game more. He is also taking the ball and knocking it off, keeping the game moving.

"The combination of those two players is great - the question is how and when Ole will look to play them together - [the PSG game] is a good example of whether he will or whether he won't.

"My guess is that Ole would prefer to play three at the back."

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