Manchester United suffered their second defeat under new manager Louis van Gaal on Tuesday after falling to MK Dons 4-0 in the Capital One Cup, the same day they signed midfielder Angel Di Maria for a British record fee of 59.7 million pounds.
Van Gaal has failed to win in his first three matches as Man U's manager after losing the team's first Premier League game 1-0 against Swansea City and drawing Sunderland 1-1 this past week. But the most humiliating incident came on Tuesday when the English team was thrashed by Milton Keynes Dons - who sit 38 places below Man U in the rankings - and eliminated from the Capital One Cup.
The Red Devils trailed 1-0 going into the half following a goal in the 25th minute by striker William Grigg of MK Dons. Whether or not adjustments were made in the locker room, Manchester United's strategy was even more flawed in the second half. Grigg scored again in the 63rd minute and then was substituted for striker Benik Afobe, who scored two goals (70' and 84') to further bury and embarrass the Premier League squad.
After the loss, van Gaal asked Man U fans to maintain faith as the team is looking to transform its strategy under the first-year boss.
"It's difficult for the fans, I know that," said van Gaal, in this NBC Sports ProSoccerTalk article. "But they have to believe in our philosophy. At the end, they can judge, but not now. I hope they shall maintain their confidence in the club and in our philosophy because that philosophy takes time. We are building up a team which you can't make in one month, even one year."
But the club had some good news on Tuesday when they announced the signing of former Real Madrid midfielder Angel Di Maria. The team paid a £59.7 million transfer fee - the largest such fee paid by a British club - to acquire Di Maria under a five-year contract. There are questions right now regarding how he will be incorporated into van Gaal's system, but his talent and team-first attitude has management excited by his arrival.
"Louis van Gaal is a fantastic coach with a proven track record of success and I am impressed by the vision and determination everyone has to get this club back to the top - where it belongs," said Di Maria, in this BBC Sport article. "I now just cannot wait to get started."
Di Maria is yet another new piece Manchester United has acquired to revamp their club and return back to the top of the Premier League. They hope to rebound this Saturday against the newly promoted Burnley F.C. at 7:45 a.m. ET.
