And one thing that did stir the senses again was the fact there was a bit of toing and froing between the two sets of fans. Yes, we may have heard the chants many a time before but not for so long.
This was rivalry returning to a certain degree, sparked by a song suggesting Roy Keane wears a magic hat. As a former Nottingham Forest star, our former skipper is probably not a favourite of the Pride Park faithful. It felt reassuring – so much about watching football is experiencing the banter between the supporters, relishing the competition and desire for success.
If the result is never really important in pre-season friendlies, this occasion certainly was.
It felt like a big step towards being reunited and this will only strengthen further in the coming weeks, particularly when Old Trafford is allowed to be full again to all pull in the one direction – spurring the Reds to success.
The opinions in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Manchester United Football Club.