Size of Manchester United’s winning margin impressive with Louis van Gaal inspiring the demolition of a team crowned MLS champions just two years ago
Louis van Gaal launched his reign as Manchester United manager in emphatic style with Wayne Rooney, Ashley Young and youngster Reece James all scoring twice in a remarkable 7-0 victory against LA Galaxy in California.
Just 11 days after signing off at the World Cup with Holland, following victory over Brazil in the third/fourth place play-off in Sao Paulo, Van Gaal was back in the dug-out for his first game as United manager in the Pasadena Rose Bowl.
And the Dutchman emerged from the friendly fixture, which saw United win the Chevrolet Cup in front of a crowd of 86,432, with a host of plus points, including the performances of debutants Ander Herrera and Luke Shaw.
The size of United's winning margin was the ultimate positive, however, with Van Gaal inspiring a demolition of a team crowned MLS champions just two years ago.
Having made clear his dissatisfaction with the demands placed on his squad, both on and off the field, during the tour of the United States, Van Gaal was probably happy to focus solely on football for ninety minutes.
With Rooney starting up-front, summer signings Herrera and Shaw involved from the beginning and Darren Fletcher wearing the captain's armband, Van Gaal was clearly determined to start well with a strong line-up.
And by lining up with a 3-4-1-2 formation, the Dutchman also suggested a readiness to impose a new system on a United team accustomed to playing four at the back throughout the Sir Alex Ferguson era.
Van Gaal's tinkering had a positive impact, however, with United dominating the early stages against a team currently lying fourth in the MLS Western Conference.
Herrera, a £29m signing from Athletic Bilbao last month, started brightly and he forced the first save of the game from goalkeeper Jaime Penedo with a low shot from 25 yards on five minutes.
But United only had to wait a further eight minutes for the opener, with Welbeck claiming the distinction of scoring the first goal under Van Gaal's reign as manager.
The England forward, who scored ten goals in 36 appearances under David Moyes last season, has still to convince the doubters that he can contribute enough goals to secure a starting position at Old Trafford.
But he displayed a clinical finishing touch to open the scoring when he latched onto Juan Mata's pass before beating Penedo with a right-foot shot which went in off the right-hand post.
The home side were struggling to contain United, with Herrera and Mata in particular causing the Galaxy a host of problems with their movement and quick passing.
United's performance was a world apart from the sluggish display which marked the first game under Moyes last summer – a 1-0 defeat against a Singh All-Star XI in Bangkok – but Van Gaal's team was much stronger, with only Welbeck and Jonny Evans starting both games.
There was a bite to United's play, exemplified in painful fashion for Galaxy defender Tommy Meyer when Rooney's stray arm left him with a cut under the eye which brought a swift apology from the forward.
But the additions of Herrera and Shaw made a positive difference and United deserved their second goal, which came on 42 minutes when Rooney scored from the penalty spot following a handball by Leonardo.
The penalty came from another example of Galaxy's poor defending and the Americans gifted Rooney a second goal moments later when a Meyer mistake left the striker with a clear strike on goal from six yards.
Penedo saved Rooney's first attempt, but the United forward followed up to put his team three goals clear and ensure that Van Gaal would celebrate his first game with a victory.
Keen to assess the credentials of the fringe players and youngsters in his squad, Van Gaal made nine changes at the interval, with only Fletcher and Herrera remaining on the pitch at the start of the second-half.
Youngsters Michael Keane, Tyler Blackett and Reece James were handed the chance to impress at the back and despite their youth, they were able to maintain the defensive stability displayed by Jones, Evans and Smalling in the first-half.
James, a 20-year-old who made one appearance on loan at Carlisle United last season, was even rewarded with a goal midway through the second-half when he converted Ashley Young's cross with a left-foot shot into the net from twelve yards.
When the youngster scored again on 85 minutes with another left foot strike from a Young assist it appeared to cap a memorable night for Van Gaal.
But with England winger Young scoring twice in the final five minutes, United emerged with a stunning winning margin to cap a remarkable evening for Van Gaal, whose team fly to Denver on Thursday afternoon ahead of Saturday's friendly against AS Roma at Sports Authority Field.
The Italians will pose United a sterner test than LA Galaxy, but in terms of a first day at the office, it could not have gone much better for Van Gaal.
Match details:
LA Galaxy (4-1-3-2) Penedo; Gargan, Meyer, Leonardo, DLG; Ishizaki, Sarvas, Juninho, Husidic; R Keane, Zardes
Manchester United (3-4-1-2) De Gea; Smalling, Jones, Evans; Valencia, Fletcher, Herrera, Shaw; Mata; Rooney, Welbeck.
Second-half – (5-3-2) Lindegaard; Rafael, M Keane, Fletcher, Blackett, James; Herrera, Cleverley, Kagawa; Young, Nani.
