Juan Mata smashed in a third and United eased to within two points of Manchester City at the top of the table. I have said that we were very close a year ago .
Advertisement
“He gives too much space on [Dusan] Tadic in my opinion and Tadic was the most risky man”, he said. They were the better team and created even more chances to score more goals but with the first goal we changed that. You know, several moments in the game, because then you put the pressure onto them.
Some might say that Manchester United is reckless in paying absurd fees for young prospects.
Van Gaal said his half-time switch of right-back Matteo Darmian for Antonio Valencia had been down to tactics rather than injury.
“Maybe you have twisted his words”, he said. “A lot of people are thinking he is a great star but he is a boy of 19″. That is also remarkable. “So I am very happy“. He’s played three matches in a row and scored three goals. “He has the talent for it but when you are 19, you cannot expect consistency”. “Mostly, he shall have a lot of dips so that I expect also from him“, Van Gaal explained in a press conference, via his club’s site.
“He adapts to the system of how we want to play“.
Elsewhere, Danny Ings scored his first Liverpool goal within three minutes of coming on as a substitute but promoted Norwich City fought back to draw 1-1 at Anfield.
And Martial has had an instant impact since his arrival at Manchester United in a £36million deadline day deal, scoring three goals in his two Premier League games so far.
Koeman was not very impressed with what he saw of United though.
“Manchester United have always had pace up front, in the counter-attack, and at least with him there is that threat back”.
“We shall always strive for it, we did also a year ago . We lost by ourselves and not by our opponent”.
David De Gea, who nearly departed United 24 hours before Martial arrived, was on hand to make two fine saves but it was Martial who had Van Gaal purring afterwards.
Advertisement
But Ronald Koeman disagreed with Van Gaal over which side deserved the victory.
