Di Maria calms United nerves

Yeovil Town 0 Manchester United 2

It turned out to be ‘gladioli’ rather than ‘death’ for Louis van Gaal and his Manchester United team as they clinched an unconvincing FA Cup third-round victory over Yeovil Town.

In the build-up to the game United’s manager had unfurled one his favourite metaphors to analogise the contrasting emotions of these knockout ties, with the gladiolus flowers of victory representing the place in today’s fourth round draw that United earned here.