Zidane has become a coaching manual

Zinedine Zidane showed something more on Saturday.

He put his five favourite midfielders on the pitch in the Madrid derby to take on Atletico Madrid, trying to make it a derby won in the middle, but his mistake was clear.

The Frenchman rectified his error, though, and made two changes at the break, bringing on Vinicius Junior and Lucas Vazquez and reverting to a more offensive 4-3-3, a shift that won the game.

Those changes led to Fede Valverde shining again as he emerged in midfield. The 21-year-old showed his best self, as did Vinicius.

The Brazilian played a cute pass for Ferland Mendy, who crossed for Karim Benzema's goal early in the second half.

But Zidane proved again on Saturday that those who continue to question him have less and less justification.

It's not easy to be a coach and to rectify things by removing big names like Isco and Toni Kroos at half-time, but that's what he did and he reaped the rewards.

From leaving out Rodrygo Goes to even doing the same with Vinicius himself, a lot of his decision have been questioned, but Zidane is the one who knows his players best.

We're not yet in the season's decisive phase, but we are now at a point wherein trophies can be lost, yet Zidane has given his players what they need to be in top form.

Real Madrid finished the game against Atletico running as though it was the first minute, and it's that approach that has them top of LaLiga Santander.