United earn well needed three points for Louis van Gaal

Manchester United 3 Stoke City 0

If this is how Pep Guardiola’s impending arrival across town can galvanise Manchester United then the rest of the season for Louis van Gaal and his men may be fruitful after all.

There is no certainty the Spaniard’s decision to join Manchester City had anything to do with this scintillating United display, of course. But it is fair to say that just when the embattled Van Gaal would want his players to return their finest display of the campaign they did.

That this was against a Stoke City side who first put the Dutchman’s job in grave doubt by handing United a 2-0 loss on Boxing Day in the reverse fixture at the Britannia Stadium was all the sweeter for him. And the manner in which United took the contest to Stoke and showed a ruthless edge is a welcome boost before Sunday’s trip to Chelsea.

Van Gaal made two changes following Friday evening's 3-1 win at Derby County in the FA Cup fourth round with Matteo Darmian in for Guillermo Varela at right-back and Michael Carrick for Morgan Schneiderlin in central midfield. As regards Mark Hughes's selection it was easier to name the three players who survived from Stoke City's 1-0 Cup defeat at Crystal Palace: Erik Pieters, Phillip Wollscheid and Bojan Krkic.

A half in which United burned brightly began with the effervescent Martial zipping in from the left and pulling the ball back to Juan Mata whose attempt went for a corner.

Next in what would prove a parade of chances for Van Gaal’s team it was Wayne Rooney’s turn. Having netted six times in his last six outings the captain is oozing confidence and he showed this with a smart swivel and snapshot that warned Stoke of his intent.

Martial dropped back a little to play some give-and-goes with team-mates as he waltzed from right to left before delivering a pass that played in Mata. The Spaniard waited cleverly before shooting at Jack Butland’s goal but his effort went wide.

As at Derby Mata was selected at No10 by Van Gaal. After he impressed there and scored United enjoyed another dividend at Old Trafford as he helped create the opener.

The 27-year-old took possession and was heading infield but turned back towards the left flank and switched the play to Cameron Borthwick-Jackson. The left-back swung in a cross that took out the visiting defence and Butland, and Jesse Lingard was allowed to finish with a stooping header.

This was the first opening-half strike here in 12 outings, going back to a Mata penalty on 30 September in a 2-1 victory over Wolfsburg in the Champions League. It was reward for United’s smart start and more was to come.

Lingard’s third career goal for the club had come on 14 minutes and moments later Martial should have doubled the advantage. By making a mug of Glen Johnson he allowed himself a clear sight of Butland but the No9’s aim was awry and he hit only the side netting.

Martial was to make the best amends by registering United’s second, a peach of a team goal. The move started near the penalty area and was pinged forward and beyond Butland in a matter of seconds. At speed the ball travelled from Carrick to Lingard to Carrick to Rooney to Darmian to Mata to Rooney to Martial, and past the visiting goalkeeper; it was 2-0 and United were flying.

So far, Stoke had been allowed close-to-zero scope to inflict the damage they had done to United on 26 December. The second half began in the same manner. Rooney barged into Johnson, raced at Butland and finished convincingly only for Roger East to disallow his effort for a foul on the right-back the referee failed to give initially.

This had Rooney arguing with East, but his frustration was to vanish dramatically within seconds.

When United create as they did for the striker’s 244th goal for the club – and did for Martial’s earlier strike – it seems a mystery why they have struggled this season. Daley Blind had been the instigator of the Frenchman’s goal and he was again for United’s third.

The centre-back launched a pass to Mata who turned the ball on to Martial; the 20-year-old rolled it into Rooney and he had the easiest of tap-ins.

It confirmed this Van Gaal team can perform. Now, can this be replicated on each and every match day?

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