adminAngel Di Maria stole Radamel Falcao’s thunder as he scored on his home debut to lead Manchester United to a 4-0 success over QPR and a maiden victory under Louis van Gaal.
All eyes were on the Red Devils’ new Colombian hitman in the lead up to the encounter, but it was Di Maria who shone in the spotlight as the on-loan Monaco striker watched on from the bench after his new manager explained his absence as being due to “jet-lag”.
Argentine playmaker, Di Maria tormented Harry Redknapp’s side throughout a one-sided encounter and struck the opener on 24 minutes when his right-wing free kick curled beyond a crowd of players in the area and into the far corner.
The former Real Madrid man then had a hand in the second when his probing run and pass allowed Wayne Rooney to tee up Ander Herrera to drill his first for the club into the bottom corner.
And Di Maria was also involved in the third and fourth of the afternoon as Rooney fizzed his 175th Premier League goal into the bottom corner before a low cross allowed an unmarked Mata to lift a simple finish over Robert Green.
Falcao did eventually emerge from the bench just past the hour but saw his big moment thwarted when he fired a rebound straight at Robert Green.
Not that it mattered: Van Gaal’s men looked superb, and though it was only against a mediocre QPR side the display will leave United fans convinced that they can bounce back from last season and contend for the title. – Eurosport
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter