08/08/2017 07:11, Report by Adam Marshall

Henrikh Mkhitaryan is Manchester United's European specialist and could emerge as one of the key men in Skopje when the stars from Old Trafford and the Bernabeu come out to play.

While all eyes may be on David De Gea, Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku, Luka Modric, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo and too many others to list, the UEFA Super Cup could be the perfect platform for the Reds' Armenian to show again why he belongs in such company.

Mkhitaryan was magnificent during last term's Europa League-winning campaign and looks a good bet to pick up the inaugural individual award for the competition in Monaco later this month. His ability to score vital goals, particularly away from home, illustrated a knack for arriving in the box at the right time. In Stockholm, against Ajax, his wonderfully executed finish meant the celebrations could start early among the United faithful.

There is far more to his game than finding the net but the signs against Sampdoria in Dublin were that he will be handed more responsibility in easing some of the goal burden on new striker Lukaku. He converted Matteo Darmian's cross to open the scoring from a lightning break and that desire to get on the end of moves will please Jose Mourinho.

In fact, he could have had a hat-trick against the Serie A side, and looked a threat in the air, which would be another string to his bow. Certainly when three or five at the back is the preferred formation, the onus will be on the midfielders to join the attack and Micki was the man most often tasked with the responsibility of assisting Lukaku at the sharp end.

As the manager tweaks his tactics, positions will continue to evolve over time but it is worth pondering if Mkhitaryan will be asked to be a dynamic force in not only showing off his sublime dribbling skills, but also working hard to get into goalscoring positions. It is something he did regularly in the Europa League and any slight change in role will surely make this even more common.

"Henrikh is a fantastic player," commented captain Michael Carrick on Monday. "He had a great season last term and everyone could see the improvement the longer he was here and how he adjusted to the league and playing for this club. He's got a big part to play this season, for sure, and hopefully for a long time."

So when the spotlight falls on a galaxy of stars at the Philip II Stadium, do not be surprised if the man who is the key to exploiting any deficiencies in Real Madrid's defence, is United's leading scorer in Europe last season. If he looks as dangerous as he did in Dublin, the Champions League holders may need to keep him in close check.