New Era for Manchester United as They Stumble Into The Season

Louis van Gaal had a losing start to his Premier League career as manager of Manchester United on Saturday as Swansea won, 2-1, to become the first visiting team since 1972 to open the season with a victory at Old Trafford.

Gylfi Sigurdsson seized on poor defending to net the winning goal in the 72nd minute after an overhead kick by Wayne Rooney, the United captain, canceled out Ki Sung-yueng’s first-half opener.

“We never played as a team — that is our error,” van Gaal told BT Sport television. “But I think we have to always keep the head up and use the second step in our process better than we have done today.”

 

Van Gaal was hired by United to revive the 20-time English champions’ fortunes. The team finished seventh under David Moyes last season after the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson, who was British soccer’s most successful manager.

 

Van Gaal officially began work only a month ago after leading the Netherlands to a third-place finish at the World Cup.

 

 

“We are not reaching our level that was built up already over four weeks,” van Gaal said on Manchester United’s TV channel, referring to the team’s preseason tour of the United States.

 

Moyes may have gone, but familiar problems remain for United. With Robin van Persie ruled out for the game because he had not returned to full training after an exhausting run with the Dutch team in the World Cup, the team lacked a cutting edge on the front line and the passing was sloppy at times. But the main concern for van Gaal will be the defense. Both Sigurdsson and Ki were unmarked when they beat goalkeeper David de Gea.

 

There was a clear lack of organization at times in United’s new-look three-man defense, with Phil Jones and Chris Smalling both appearing out of their comfort zone on several occasions as a result of Swansea’s enterprising play and neat passing. United appeared to be missing the experience of Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra, who all left over the summer.

 

In an early setback for United, midfielder Jesse Lingard, making his full debut, was replaced by Adnan Januzaj after injuring his right foot in a challenge with Ashley Williams.