Manchester United got their first win of the season with a comprehensive demolition job of Queens Park Rangers. Despite their early problems, they were always favourites to top a QPR side that managed to look even worse than United through the first three games, and the hosts’ summer signings powered them to an easy 4-0 win.
3 things we learned from Manchester United’s hammering of QPR
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United were on top from the off, and would have made it 1-0 far sooner had Robin van Persie not stolen the ball off Ander Herrera when the midfielder seemed certain to score. But no matter -- Angel di Maria made it 1-0 in the 24th minute with a whipped free kick which evaded a tangle of bodies in the penalty area and bounced in at the far post. It was his first goal for the club, and was a deserved reward for the best player on the pitch.
Herrera doubled the hosts’ advantage a little while later, although most of the work was di Maria’s. The Argentinian tore down the left hand side, played a clever reverse pass to Wayne Rooney, and although his shot was block the ball was eventually worked to Herrera, who fired in a low shot from the edge of the box. Rooney himself then added a third just before halftime from a similar position before Juan Mata took advantage of a characteristic error from Rio Ferdinand to finish up the scoring at the hour mark.
It wasn’t exactly clean sailing for United, who would have been far less comfortable against a more competent side. David de Gea produced a catastrophic error at 1-0 which Matty Phillips should have converted, and despite barely being able to string two passes together the visitors were able to threaten United’s back line whenever they did have the ball by the simple expedient of driving straight through the middle.
But a few scares en route to a huge win aren’t exactly going to take the gloss off United’s day, especially considering where they stood in the table before this match. It was an excellent performance, and while it will take more than a win against QPR to say that United are back, this was about as good a performance as we could have hoped for from Louis van Gaal’s side.
Manchester United starting lineup (4<4>2): David de Gea; Marcos Rojo, Tyler Blackett, Jonny Evans, Rafael (Antonio Valencia 67’); Daley Blind, Angel di Maria (Adnan Januzaj 82’), Ander Herrera, Juan Mata (Radamel Falcao 67’); Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie.
Goals: Di Maria 24’, Herrera 36’, Rooney 44’, Mata 58’.
Queens Park Rangers starting lineup (4-4-1-1): Robert Green; Clint Hill (Armand Traore 45’), Steven Caulker, Rio Ferdinand, Mauricio Isla; Niko Krancjar, Leroy Fer, Sandro (Karl Henry 74’), Junior Hoillet; Matthew Phillips; Charlie Austin (Eduardo Vargas 59’).
3 Things
- Angel di Maria can turn United’s fortunes around. When di Maria signed for almost £60 million from Real Madrid, many wondered whether he’d be worth it and where he might fit into a Manchester United side that needed defensive stability rather than another star in the attack. But so far, he definitely looks the business. His versatility is the key -- he can sit in central midfield and keep possession or he can drive forward down either wing when United need someone to open up a defence. Against QPR, he ran the show. His goal was perhaps slightly lucky (although it was the perfect delivery), but the second, which killed off the match, was essentially created by him single-handledly demolishing the visitors’ defence and leaving Rooney and Herrera to find the finish. United might not have needed a winger-CM hybrid like di Maria in terms of team shape, but they were desperately short of great players, and that’s precisely what they got in their record signing.QPR might be the worst team in the league. There have been three performances in the Premier League this season which might be labelled ‘truly atrocious’, and Queens Park Rangers are responsible for two*. Their hammering at Old Trafford here was matched by an equally disappointing match against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane, and it’s difficult to understand what they were even trying to achieve with most of their play. Their attack isn’t good, and their defending is a crime worthy of The Hague. Unless this is sorted out, they’re dead.*Number three is Newcastle yesterday, since you were asking.United are still vulnerable. Having Daley Blind slot in at defensive midfield is an obvious upgrade when Manchester United have the ball, but it’s difficult to see what he offers off it. His positioning is sound and his tactical understanding strong, but his pace and power are both lacking, and even QPR were able to amble past him virtually at will. Against tougher teams in the league, the 4-4-2 diamond Manchester United employed today (switching from the 3-4-1-2 used earlier in the season) doesn’t look like it has enough about it to impose itself on the game.Defensive midfield and centre back (where Marcos Rojo came in) were United’s two greatest positions of need this summer. They’ve been addressed, but not with the sort of enthusiasm that the rest of the world was expecting, and it’ll be fascinating to see how a team that’s this far out of balance does against ... well, everyone who isn’t QPR.
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