Capital One Cup: Van Gaal humbled as MK Dons ditch United
MK DONS 4 MANCHESTER UNITED 0
TROUBLED Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has reiterated his stance there will be no instant remedy to the club’s woes after the Dutchman’s miserable start to life in the Old Trafford dugout continued with a Capital One Cup humiliation at MK Dons last night.
United were taken to task by their lower league opponents on the day they smashed the British transfer record after shelling out £59.7m on Argentina winger Angel di Maria, as Will Grigg and substitute Benik Afobe, on loan from Brentford and Arsenal respectively, did the damage with two goals apiece.
Having fielded a side containing a myriad of internationals including Javier Hernandez, Danny Welbeck and David de Gea, Van Gaal insisted he did not regret shuffling his pack and handing debuts to inexperienced defensive duo Saidy Janko and Reece James.
“The fans have to believe in our philosophy as we are building up a team and you cannot make in one month, not in one year,” he said.
“Of course it’s very disappointing but I hope they shall maintain their confidence in the club and our philosophy because that philosophy takes time.
“You can’t forget we had nine injuries and a very young team. I have seen them trying to do their utmost best so you cannot expect more of players and of course we were also unlucky as they scored out of our errors.”
Playing at this stage of the competiton for the first time since a 4-3 aggregate defeat to York City in 1995, United gifted the hosts a 25th minute lead when Northern Irishman Ben Reeves capitalised on a slack clearance from United skipper Jonny Evans, cutting the ball back for Grigg to slide into an empty net.
MK Dons doubled their advantage in the 63rd minute as Reeves again made the most of poor United defending to deliver a whipped cross from the left which Grigg chested past De Gea from inside the six-yard box.
The match was ended as a contest in the 70th minute as Reeves finished off a neat passing move by playing in Afobe, who had replaced Grigg seconds earlier, to finish low past De Gea right-footed.
Afobe scored his second in the 84th minute as the burly striker stormed through a flimsy United backline and calmly beat De Gea with a left-footed strike.