United Beyond Manchester

Angel Di Maria arrived at Manchester United with high expectations after a storied time at Real Madrid. Louis Van Gaal expected the Argentine winger to come in and make a difference at a club that needed its next star player.

However, the £59.7m man failed to live up to the price tag and was gone in a year. He scored 4 times with 11 assists in his 32 appearances at the club.

A recent conversation between Phil Jones and Rio Ferdinand on Ferdinand’s YouTube channel has shed some light on the Di Maria situation.

“I look at Angel Di Maria, I think ‘wow’. I remember his first game away at Burnley, I remember getting into the dressing room, tight as anything, he looked like a little lost soul,” Jones said of the winger.

“He just never really got United. Maybe the manager didn’t help, he didn’t get along with him. I’ve seen so many players, they don’t perform because the shirt’s so heavy, and they go on to do well in their career.”

Even a player like Angel Di Maria, who starred alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, and other top players at Real Madrid, struggled at United.

After leaving the club, the Argentine winger performed well, returning to a starring role at PSG. In 295 appearances, he contributed with 238 goal involvements, completely flipping the script after his time in Manchester.

Di Maria’s issues shed some light on what all United players face, including today’s squad.

This pressure is not handled well by the current Manchester United team. Many players have shown an inability to perform at Old Trafford and in tough matches, and the results have faltered.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s teams knew they were going to win. There was no other outcome. The legendary manager instilled a winning mentality into his team, and instead of faltering on the big stage, they were fueled by it.

From the staff to the manager to the squad, all involved at Manchester United must handle the pressure and carry the weight if the club is to return to the top.