recorded their first competitive win
under Louis van Gaal with a
comprehensive 4-0 thrashing of
QPR on Sunday.
Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind were
handed starting berths by Van
Gaal, while Radamel Falcao, who
moved to Old Trafford on a season-
long loan from Monaco on transfer
deadline day, also made his debut
as a second-half substitute.
However, the show was stolen by
another new recruit as Angel di
Maria delivered a wonderful
display on his maiden home outing
for United.
Di Maria opened the scoring with
his first goal in a United shirt
midway through the opening half
before playing a part as Ander
Herrera and Wayne Rooney made
the points safe before half-time.
Rooney's strike made him the joint-
third top-scorer in Premier League
history with 175 goals, and United,
using a back four for the first time
in the Premier League this season,
pulled further clear when the
excellent Di Maria set up Juan Mata
for a fourth after 58 minutes.
Falcao's arrival in the 67th minute
did not prompt the final flurry that
United fans would have perhaps
wanted, but there is now likely to
be a renewed belief that the club
can challenge at the top of the table
following last season's
disappointing seventh-place finish.
United, whose emphatic triumph
ensured QPR defender Rio
Ferdinand endured a miserable
return to his former club, made a
fast start to proceedings and
threatened in the seventh minute
when Mata shot well over the
crossbar from the edge of the area.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.