• Premier League

New-look United run riot against QPR

Angel Di Maria opened the scoring for Manchester United in a man-of-the-match display on his home debut © Getty Images

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Louis Van Gaal's new-look Manchester United kick-started their season with an emphatic 4-0 win against Queens Park Rangers at Old Trafford.

Angel Di Maria and Ander Herrera opened their accounts at the club before Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata completed the scoring, while new signings Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind also started with Radamel Falcao and Luke Shaw on the bench.

Van Gaal's decision to ditch his floundering 3-5-2 system for a flat back four and a midfield diamond.was vindicated as United turned in their best display under the Dutchman by quite some margin, delivering him his first competitive win at the club.

Match Analysis

• Man of the match:There were plenty of impressive performances for Manchester United but Angel Di Maria stood out after scoring the first, helping to set up the second and assisting Juan Mata for the fourth on his home debut. Real Madrid are likely to be kicking themselves.
• Villain: A collective award goes to QPR, who looked beaten as soon as Di Maria broke the deadlock in the 24th minute. Yes, United were impressive, but Harry Redknapp's side hardly put up a fight.
• Key moment: It could have been a different story had Matt Phillips not squandered a golden chance to equalise when QPR were just 1-0 down. After David De Gea misjudged an attempted clearance, Phillips had just Jonny Evans between himself and an empty net but managed to shoot straight at the defender with a tame effort.
• Nick Atkin

Di Maria opened the scoring after 24 minutes with a curling free-kick from the right into the box that evaded everybody, including QPR goalkeeper Rob Green, and bounced into the net.

Herrera was next to get in on the act. Di Maria again played a big part, picking up the ball in his own half and bursting down the left before playing an incisive pass into Wayne Rooney, whose initial shot was blocked before he teed up Herrera to drill low into the bottom left corner.

Herrera then returned the favour for Rooney, finding him on the edge of the box with the United captain effectively ending the contest a minute before half-time by firing into the bottom corner.

United grabbed their fourth just before the hour, Di Maria's cross-shot finding Mata who collected the ball and lifted it over Green.

Falcao then replaced Mata with 66 minutes gone and had a chance to score a debut goal when Green spilled the ball into his path, but he could only fire straight at the QPR goalkeeper.

Van Gaal, who had gone four games without a win, will want to use this victory as a springboard for the rest of the season. This certainly felt like the start of a new era at Old Trafford.

United passed the ball quicker, they were more clinical in front of goal and the atmosphere inside the ground was jubilant.

With £150 million of new talent available to him, and players like Mata, who impressed, Van Gaal certainly has the potential to achieve a top-three finish, as outlined by his employers, at the very least.

Despite the public excitement surrounding the arrival of Falcao, Rio Ferdinand received the biggest reception from the home fans before kick-off.

Ander Herrera wheels away after opening his Manchester United account © Getty Images

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The former United centre-half, who complained he was not given a proper send off in the summer, received a huge ovation as well as a special plaque from Sir Bobby Charlton just before kick-off in honour of him making his 700th Premier League appearance.

After the first whistle sounded, it did not take long for Ferdinand's old team-mates, and United's new signings, to put him under immense pressure.

Mata raced down the left and whipped in a perfect ball for Rooney, but mis-controlled and Ferdinand hooked the ball clear.

Van Gaal wrote in his pre-match notes that he was worried about nervousness gripping his players at Old Trafford, but that was certainly not the case on Sunday.

United passed the ball quickly and confidently, and they tested the away defence with a series of teasing crosses.

Herrera pulled the ball back to Mata after a clever nutmeg from Rafael, but the former Chelsea man skied his shot.

Down the left, Rojo lobbed the ball to the back post where Herrera cocked his right leg back ready to fire a volley at goal, but Van Persie clumsily nicked the ball away from the Spaniard.

With so much pressure on them, it only seemed a matter of time before QPR conceded, and they did in the 23rd minute.

After a needless foul on Herrera by Clint Hill, Di Maria whipped a curling ball over the heads of four players and the ball drifted in past Green at his far post.

Within a few minutes of Di Maria's first United goal, the hosts almost handed QPR a route back into the match. David De Gea, usually such a calm operator, raced out of the box trying to clear a long punt up field from Niko Kranjcar. The goalkeeper failed to communicate with Jonny Evans and the ball fell to Matt Phillips, but he failed to turn the ball into the empty net and United's fans breathed again.

Those same fans were up on their feet moments later when United moved 2-0 ahead.

Once again Di Maria played an important part, racing 50 yards down the left before playing Rooney in with a lovely pass between two defenders. The striker's shot was blocked, but he then squared to Herrera, who drilled the ball past Green.

The Stretford End demanded United attack and they did. Just before half-time Rooney made it 3-0.

Ander Herrera wheels away after opening his Manchester United account © Getty Images

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Herrera played a delicious one-two with Mata and he touched the ball off to Rooney, who powered a low shot past Green.

Harry Redknapp replaced Hill with Armand Traore at half-time and the former Arsenal defender made an immediate impression, driving at the United defence with a long run. He squared to Kranjcar, who shot at goal, but De Gea stuck his right foot out just in time.

A large number of United fans rose to applaud Falcao as he warmed up on the touchline. Those whose focus remained on the game watched United bag a fourth.

Di Maria adventurously attempted a 25-yard effort which instead landed straight at Mata's feet. Mata, three yards clear of his nearest marker Ferdinand, tucked the ball past Green from 10 yards.

Falcao came on with 23 minutes to go to link up with Rooney and Van Persie in a devastating front three.

United's defensive vulnerabilities were highlighted when Tyler Blackett moved aside to allow Eduardo Vargas to shoot on goal, but he dragged his effort wide.

Di Maria then cramped up and had to come off with 10 minutes to go.

Green spilled Blind's long-range shot in the dying minutes, but Falcao could not get there in time to score a debut goal, not that it mattered.

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