Jamie Redknapp has argued that Adnan Januzaj is "more talented" than Manchester United teammate Memphis Depay and has insisted that the Belgian forward could solve the Red Devils's striker issue.

The 20-year-old scored the only goal in United's 1-0 victory over Aston Villa on Friday evening, giving Louis van Gaal's side the perfect start to the new Premier League campaign.

Januzaj's performance is now creating a debate over whether he should be in the starting lineup, an argument that Redknapp thinks is a no-brainer.

"The good news for Manchester United now is that Januzaj has come back into the equation. He looked like a young man that could go out on loan, with talk of Sunderland maybe taking him," Redknapp told Sky Sports News.

"I think they have signed Memphis Depay for £31 million but they already had somebody in their ranks that is more talented. [Januzaj] is a special player. I remember the first time I watched him for United and I think about the goal he scored against Sunderland – he can do special things with a football.

"He wasn't magnificent [against Villa] by any stretch of the imagination but the arrogance he can afford to play with will come with confidence. He drifts past people and has a unique talent like that. He's the special player in this team, I think. He can turn people inside out."

United's Friday evening victory puts them second in the Premier League, level on points with Leicester City who have a slightly better goal difference.