Man Utd 4-0 QPR

United claim first win of Van Gaal reign
Loanee Falcao makes debut off bench
Di Maria and Herrera score first goals for
club
Manchester United won for the first time this
season as their new-look side tore apart a poor
QPR at Old Trafford.
Record signing Angel di Maria was particularly
impressive and settled any early United nerves
when his free-kick into the box crept into the far
corner.
Ander Herrera drilled in soon after and Wayne
Rooney's sharp finish all but ended the contest
before the break.
Juan Mata steered in Di Maria's shot and loanee
Radamel Falcao had a gentle debut as a 67th-
minute substitute.
Tougher tests than a flimsy QPR side await, but
after a dismal season under David Moyes, and a
slow start to this campaign under successor
Louis van Gaal, United provided their fans with
genuine cause for optimism.
United's last home game - a 2-1 opening-day
defeat by Swansea - had finished with a very
different mood around Old Trafford and Van
Gaal's starting line-up showed major changes
from that loss.
New signings Di Maria, Daley Blind and Marcos
Rojo were included from the start with Falcao on
the bench.
As well as new personnel, Van Gaal was forced to
shift from his favoured 3-5-2 formation to a four-
man defence by injuries to Chris Smalling and
Phil Jones.
The changes fuelled a buoyant atmosphere
among the home fans and QPR proved the
perfect opposition for a confidence-building win.
Mata, playing at the attacking tip of a midfield
diamond, shot over from 20 yards, before Di
Maria gave United a goal cushion to go with the
majority of possession.
The £59.7m signing's free-kick floated over its
intended targets and, with goalkeeper Rob Green
standing still in expectation of a touch, bounced
inside the far post.
The visitors had rarely ventured beyond the
halfway line, but if Jonny Evans had not blocked
Matt Phillips's shot after home keeper David de
Gea rushed out to try and halt a rare attack, they
could have been level.
As it was, QPR were out of the game soon after.
A scampering run from the increasingly
impressive Di Maria drew the attention of two
defenders and when Rooney laid the ball into the
path of Herrera, the Spaniard drilled a low shot
into the bottom corner.
The third arrived soon after as the QPR defence
stood off their men, allowing Mata and Herrera to
exchange passes and Rooney the time to pick his
spot inside the near post.
The introduction of Armand Traore improved QPR
after the break, but Mata and Rooney's over-
elaboration with the goal at their mercy, and the
rueful smiles that followed, summed up the
exhibition pace of the second half.
Mata did not have to wait long for another
chance - blasting home after Di Maria shanked
an ambitious effort into his path.
Falcao was introduced to loud cheers with a little
over 20 minutes to go and was only denied a
goal by Green's scrambling recovery save.
The Colombian's new side should provide him
with plenty more chances if they continue in the
same vein, while QPR will need to be more
determined and ambitious to survive in the top
flight.
Radamel Falcao failed to
score on his debut, a feat
he achieved with Porto,
Atletico Madrid and Monaco
Ander Herrera scored 11
goals in 128 appearances
for previous club Atletico
Madrid
Ex-England cricketer Kevin
Pietersen, a Chelsea fan,
was in the stands to watch
United's win
Former United defender Rio
Ferdinand and Sir Bobby
Charlton took part in a pre-
match presentation