United thump QPR for first win of season

MANCHESTER — Manchester United ended their winless start to the Premier League season in emphatic fashion yesterday, beating Queens Park Rangers 4-0 to show just what a summer spending spree of £150 million (S$308 million) can deliver.

Angel di Maria and Ander Herrera scored their first goals for United, Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata added others and Radamel Falcao had a 23-minute run-out as a substitute for his debut. In his fifth competitive match in charge of United, Louis van Gaal finally was able to enjoy a victory that lifted the team to five points from four league matches.

Van Gaal ditched his 3-5-2 formation and reverted to a 4-4-2, with Di Maria particularly impressing on the left of a midfield diamond and inspiring United to a 3-0 half-time lead.

Marcos Rojo, playing at left-back, and Daley Blind, deployed as a holding midfielder, made their debuts from the start in a new-look United team that seemed to have a better shape — albeit in the face of weak opposition.

With the goals flying in and the home crowd in full voice, it was like the old times again at Old Trafford.

“We’re gonna win the league”, was the chant after Rooney made it 3-0 and all that was missing was a debut goal for Falcao, who is on a season-long loan move from Monaco. That almost came with seven minutes left, but his close-range shot was blocked.

Many will see this as the true start of the Van Gaal era — and at the heart of an encouraging team display was Di Maria. The Argentina winger crucially broke the deadlock when his free kick evaded everyone in a crowded area and bounced into the far corner, leaving goalkeeper Rob Green rooted to the spot.

And from one of Di Maria’s many surges forward, Herrera ended up making it 2-0 in the 36th. Rooney collected a pass from Di Maria, had a shot blocked and laid the ball off for Herrera to drive a bobbling effort into the corner.

After Rooney shot home low from the edge of the area for the third goal in the 44th, Di Maria was the architect of the fourth just before the hour, with his driven shot arriving at Mata’s feet to allow the Spain playmaker time to lift a finish high into the net. AP