Di Maria has the last laugh on Old Trafford return

‘They didn’t let me have my best time there,’ said Angel Di Maria in a recent interview about his time at Old Trafford.

Di Maria is considered a flop in the eyes of United fans. The winger signed for £59.7 million (RM314 million) from Real Madrid in 2014 and largely did nothing during his one year at United before he moved to Paris Saint-Germain.

So, Tuesday night was his chance to make a statement. After all, he had barely been mentioned in the build-up.

The talk had centred on how PSG would do without Neymar or Edinson Cavani. Kylian Mbappe entered the conversation due to being fit yet no airtime for Di Maria.

It was only when he was booed walking into the ground that he became a topic of interest for Gary Lineker, Rio Ferdinand, Owen Hargreaves and Paul Ince in the BT Sport studio.

It was a mistake. The 30-yearold had scored in his last two Ligue 1 games and understands PSG’s philosophy of fast, attacking football.

Di Maria was positioned on the left with the expectation of his manager to get forward in a flash and be able to support Mbappe, who was playing in front of Julian Draxler.

He kept making run after run after run but the passes forward weren’t finding him. Each one sloppy, under-hit or not to his feet. In the end, he did the work himself when the ball became loose just inside the left touchline.

He chased after it, took a touch and then took a hit from United captain Ashley Young, which sent him into the pitchside barriers.

It is a steep drop from the pitch to the advertising boards at Old Trafford and Di Maria felt the full force of Young’s rash and out-ofcontrol challenge.

Maybe it was at that point, after being sent to the ground and receiving insults from the home supporters, that he felt enough was enough.

A second half in which he would remind those same United supporters of his qualities when played in an appropriate system.

Di Maria was now on a revenge mission and wasn’t going to stop until he had done what he needed to do.

PSG’s first goal, the one that led to such a fractious reception thereafter, was created by Di Maria. It was from his corner on the right side, which he swung in with his left foot, that PSG profited.

Central defender Presnel Kimpembe moved quickest to the inswinging delivery and connected with his left foot at the back post, sending the ball past goalkeeper David De Gea.

It was only then, though, that Di Maria could really vent. He joined in the celebrations and then turned his attention to the United supporters.

Thiago Silva, clearly aware of the tension between player and supporters, tried to move his teammate on but Di Maria wasn’t moving before his message was heard. ’F**k off! Puta! [Spanish for b***h]. F**k off!’ he appeared to shout while looking towards those in the East Stand.

An unnecessary reaction, perhaps, but you could understand how he had reached a point of no return.

Of course, the abuse only got worse. In the corner that joins the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand and the East Stand, more fans had waited for a chance to shout and swear at the winger.

This time a bottle was thrown towards him — an act no doubt UEFA and the club will choose to investigate further. He saw the funny side given it didn’t hit him and blew into the bottle before moving it away from the pitch.

But if this was a night of statements, a night of taunts or mindless behaviour then Di Maria’s final intervention is how it should be remembered.

He silenced his detractors by setting up PSG’s second goal. Mbappe was again too quick for Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly to meet Di Maria’s low cross.