Louis van Gaal was pleased with United's emphatic response to a difficult start to the season as the Reds put four goals without reply past Queens Park Rangers.

The Reds secured three points for the first time since the Dutch manager took charge, with an attacking display from a side featuring several new faces.

"I said before the game 'let us make a new start'," van Gaal told MUTV. "That's important as after 1 September, after the transfer period, we can now work on a team-building process and make ourselves better every week – we have done it, I believe.

"The most important thing from today is that we created goals. In the other matches we were the better team on the pitch but we didn't make goals. Now we have made four goals and that gives a boost to every player."

Angel Di Maria, making his first home appearance, opened the floodgates with a sublime free-kick straight from a training field move, but other aspects of his new-look side were also praised by the boss.

"The first goal is very important, we trained with it before the game but he did it at the right moment. I think the new players fitted in very well. It's always difficult to come in and adapt to the rhythm of the Premier League but they did very well – not only Di Maria."

The importance of sending United's fans home smiling was also not lost on the manager, who added: "That's also enormously important as they have had to wait a long time for a good result."