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Manchester United’s pre-season had gone a lot better than any red devil would’ve imagined, but the shock opening day defeat to Swansea City at Old Trafford on Saturday may have given United fans cause for concern

However, new boss Louis Van Gaal has still injected some new-found drive in the Old Trafford players and a number of pre-season outings have given us a glimpse of just how good they’ll be next season, regardless of their somewhat deflated start.

They’ve been impressive under LVG this summer. Just as impressive as TrustFord’s new Signing on Fee offer, which gives you £500 off the purchase of any new Ford car.

David Moyes failed to jump-start a new era at the club last season following a number of poor modifications to the former Premier League champions.

But LVG looks like he’s got things in order after bringing in a bargain or two, particularly Ander Herrera, who impressed this weekend.

And it’s Man United’s engine room that appears to have been fine-tuned the most, with Herrera expected to go along way in justifying his price and signing on fee.

So here’s six ways LVG has fine-tuned Man United’s engine room…

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Ander Herrera

The Spaniard impressed for LVG’s side in pre-season and, although he didn’t shine too much in their opening day defeat to Swansea, he’s still expected to take the Premier League by storm this season.

Last season, Moyes’ style of play was heavily criticised. But Van Gaal has provided a new and exciting philosophy that emphasises the need for articulate midfielders.

Herrera is one of those players tasked with enforcing such a philosophy and he pre-season performances proved that.

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Ashley Young

Ashley Young was widely expected to be on of the players deemed surplus to requirements by Louis Van Gaal this summer.

But instead he has been transformed in to a worthy option as a wing-back in the new manager’s favourable 3-5-2 formation.

The winger offers much needed pace for LVG and has seen his United career saved by his versatility.

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Juan Mata

One of David Moyes’ biggest crimes during his United reign was splashing out a club record transfer fee on Chelsea’s Juan Mata only to continuously play him out of position, mostly to accommodate Wayne Rooney as a number 10.

But Van Gaal realises the threat Mata can provide as a central midfielder and has ensured that’s where the Spaniard’s skill set will be utilised.

As a result, United are instantly a more potent side in attack, which they desperately lacked last season.

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Wayne Rooney

Rooney’s work rate has always been one of his biggest traits at United, but under Moyes he was regularly forced to play as a number 10 to allow Robin Van Persie to play the the striker’s role.

But the decision to give Rooney the armband and play him as a striker has further improved United’s attacking threat and has allowed their engine to fuel one of the best striker’s in the world in his best position and, potentially, the best form of his career.

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Youth prospects

Van Gaal has given the likes of Jesse Lingard and Tyler Blackett the chance to impress in the first team at the off, and they look like they could be part of the boss’ plans this season.

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Man United’s history of bringing through class acts from their academy and Van Gaal’s experience could be the key to the aforementioned youngsters going on to be the next best things to come out of Old Trafford’s youth team.

With the help of a group of senior and extremely experienced members of the squad, such youngsters are in the best position to help fire LVG and United back to the successes they once enjoyed under Sir Alex Ferguson.

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Marouane Fellaini

The Belgium international endured a torrid debut season at Old Trafford last term and he was expected to leave the club this summer.

But he’s enjoyed a spirited revival under Van Gaal this summer and appears to have been given the chance to redeem himself in United’s midfield.

His goal scoring antics at Everton initially earned him a mega-money move to Man United and, despite taking some time to adapt, Van Gaal’s decision to stick with him and offer him an important role in his side could lead to him recapturing the world-class form the Premier League were once used to seeing from him each week at Goodison Park.

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Marseille manager Elie Baup has said Andre Ayew will not leave the Stade Velodrome, despite interest from Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United, The Express reports.

Ayew has been strongly linked with a Premier League move this summer after clashing with Baup over his desire to play as a central striker.

But Baup, who has preferred deploying Ayew out wide, has spoken out on the issue, backed by Marseille president Vincent Labrune.

“Let me be clear: I am counting on all the players who are here,” he said.

Asked about the possibility of Ayew playing through the middle, he added: “Who has promised to change our structure? Certainly not me.”

Ayew himself spoke last month about his desire to play in the Premier League, particularly at Anfield.

“The English league would be a dream,” he said.

“It is the most followed league in Ghana so, yes, I have a big preference for England.

“I’ve always supported Liverpool.”

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With Baup and Ayew’s turbulent relationship set to continue, Premier League sides tracking the 23-year-old Ghanaian will not see reason to stop doing so.

Ayew, who reportedly was the subject of a £5million bid from Arsenal in 2010, scored ten goals in 39 appearances last season, taking his overall record at Marseille to 148 games played and 41 goals scored.

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Liverpool have stepped up their January recruitment drive with an £8 million bid for Inter Milan youngster Coutinho the Daily Mail understand.

After bolstering their attack with the £12 million acquisition of Daniel Sturridge from Chelsea a fortnight ago Brendan Rodgers has turned his attention to strengthening the Reds midfield.

Having grown tired in his attempts to broker a deal with Blackpool for Thomas Ince and Wesley Sneijder’s demands proving unreasonable, Rodgers has switched his attentions to 20-year-old Coutinho.

Chairman Tom Werner spent Friday discussing potential transfers and earmarked the one-cap Brazilian international as a player that fits the profile of owners Fenway Sports Group.

Liverpool’s initial offer is thought to have been rebuffed by the Serie A giants but they are expected to return with a fresh proposal in order to prise him away from the San Siro.

Despite  joining Inter from Vasco Da Gama for €4m as a promising 16-year-old,  though he was allowed to remain at the Estádio São Januário on loan until 2010, he has failed to hit the heights expected of him in Italy.

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With just 28 league appearances under his belt Coutinho is said to have become increasingly frustrated at his lack of first team opportunities and spent the latter half of last season on loan at Spanish club Espanyol.

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AC Milan are preparing a January bid for Manchester United winger Nani, according to Metro.

The Portugal international’s future at Old Trafford has been in question for some time now, with the attacker having 18 months left on his current contract and showing no hint of extending his deal with the Premier League side.

Zenit St Petersburg were said to have had a bid accepted in the summer, however a deal to move to Russia fell through due to Nani extortionate wage demands.

With United eager to avoid losing Nani on the cheap as his contract runs down, a January sale will be considered by Sir Alex Ferguson.

With Antonio Valencia, Ashley Young and others taking precedence in the Red Devils first team, United seem to be well covered out wide, and may well consider parting with Nani.

The Premier League side are keen to recoup around £20 million for the tricky star, however it is believed that Milan will not meet this price tag.

The Serie A side are going through a rebuilding phase after seeing a number of senior first-team players either sold or released in the summer, and a number of new faces brought to the San Siro.

However, Massimiliano Allegri’s men have started this term poorly, and are already out of touch with league leaders and champions Juventus.

Milan will test United’s resolve in January however, and are thought to be willing to offer £12 million for the star.

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If a deal cannot be concluded in the new year, Milan may well wait it out and bid again come the summer.

By Gareth McKnight

David Moyes is proud of his side’s achievements in 2012, despite finishing the year with Sunday’s defeat to Chelsea at Goodison Park.

Everton’s 2-1 loss to the Londoners was only their seventh reverse in the league this year and their first at home since March.

The Toffees are in the hunt for a Champions League spot this season, sitting three points adrift of fourth-placed Tottenham.

And Blues boss Moyes has acknowledged that the entire calendar year has been one of high achievement.

“Even though I’m gutted we haven’t won because I thought our performance was enough to do that, 2012 has been a good year for us,” the Everton manager told The Mirror

“There’s nothing we can look back on the second half of last season and the first half of this season and say we’ve done too much wrong.”

The Merseysiders took a 63 second lead against Chelsea through Steven Pienaar’s quickfire opener, but Frank Lampard’s double ensured the Blues would return to Stamford Bridge with all three points.

Everton were without Marouane Fellaini, Phil Neville, Darron Gibson, Tony Hibbert, Seamus Coleman and Kevin Mirallas, but Moyes was still satisfied with his team’s performance:

“We were limited with what we had and how we were going to play.

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“But in the end it would be wrong to talk about that because the performance was so good.”

Everton have accrued an impressive 68 points in 2012. Only Manchester United and Manchester City have registered more Premier League points this year.

Manchester United are monitoring Athletic Bilbao’s Oscar De Marcos after Sir Alex Ferguson sent a scout to watch him play against Barcelona at the weekend.

The dynamic midfielder impressed against United in the Europa League last season and Ferguson was interested in bringing him to Old Trafford last summer, only to be put off by Bilbao’s £25million valuation.

With the likes of Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs coming close to the end of their careers, the United boss is keen to add fresh blood to his squad to compensate for the eventual losses of two players that have been ever-present at the club.

Ferguson has now resumed his interest in signing De Marcos and sent brother Martin Ferguson, his top European scout, to watch the 23-year-old in action against Barcelona.

Last year’s Europa League runners up Bilbao, who comprehensively beat United on the way to the final, are struggling in La Liga this season and many of their star players are said to be looking for a move away.

This may mean the club are willing to lower their asking price for players such as De Marcos, however United can still expect to have to offer around £20million to sign him.

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If bought in the January transfer window, he would still be eligible to play in the Champions League which will provide added appeal for Ferguson as his side enter the knockout rounds of the tournament in February.

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Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has confessed that he could leave the club this summer in search of Champions League football.

The Uruguayan international has been in fine form for the Reds this season, netting an impressive 29 goals in all competitions.

Naturally, this tally has alerted a number of Europe’s top clubs, including Juventus, who could be willing to make big money moves for his signature this summer.

With Liverpool unlikely to be able Suarez regular Champions League football in the immediate future, the 26-year-old has confessed that he may look to move on to further his career:

“A player’s ambition is always there, the ambition of wanting to play in elite teams is always there.” He is quoted by the Liverpool Echo.

“If another team comes around with more prospects of competing in international club competition games, which is willing to have me, they are welcome.

“We would talk to the club, we would see if I want to go, if I don’t want to go.”

Suarez only committed to a long-term contract at Anfield last summer, ending speculation if a move away from Merseyside.

Despite suggesting he could move on at the end of the current campaign, the South American did state that he is happy at Liverpool and that he feels the club are heading in the right direction:

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“I am very happy at Liverpool but you never know in football,

“I’m in a world-class team, an elite team like Liverpool. We have to realise we have a new manager who is imposing a philosophy and a way of playing that the players are adapting to as best we can. We hope that it will bear fruit next year.”

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Rickie Lambert believes Southampton can have no complaints after Saturday’s crushing 6-1 defeat away at Arsenal, The Southern Daily Echo reports.

Saints’ misery was compounded after Jos Hooiveld and Nathaniel Clyne both scored own-goals to add further gloss to the score line for the Gunners.

It sums up a brutal introduction to the Premier League for Nigel Adkins’ side, who remain the only side without a point this season and have conceded a whopping 14 goals in their first four matches.

He said: “I think they thoroughly deserved their victory, the margin as well,” he said. “We were unlucky with some goals, but they could have scored more as well. I think it was about right.”

The south coast side were constantly tormented by Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla, who are both proving to be very useful addition to Arsene Wenger’s team.

This led Lambert to admit that the visitors were simply not good enough to cope with the North Londoners.

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“We will have to look at it, but credit to Arsenal – I thought they were excellent. They had a couple of players we couldn’t handle”, he added.

Southampton will be aiming to get their first points of the season when they host Aston Villa at St Mary’s next Saturday.

Andy Carroll has claimed that he was not given a “fair chance” at Liverpool before leaving the club to join West Ham on loan.

The £35m striker joined the Londoners on a season-long deal during the summer transfer window after failing to force his way into Reds boss Brendan Rodgers’ first-team plans.

Before he completed his move to Upton Park, Rodgers hinted that the burly centre-forward may not fit into his style of play.

However, Carroll disagrees and believes that he wasn’t given the opportunity to prove the Northern Irishman wrong:

“I haven’t really had a fair chance at Liverpool.” He is quoted as saying by ESPN.

“I was really told that I should move on to keep playing regular football. Obviously, I didn’t really get a chance there.

“A new manager came in and I wasn’t part of his plans. For me to play football, that was my chance to do that. That is why I am here at Upton Park.

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“I think I could fit into every system. I believe in what I can do. Obviously (Rodgers) has his beliefs and he didn’t think that.

“But for me, obviously, it was better to move on instead of waiting for my chance, which he told me might not come.”

Manchester United target Kevin Strootman could be on his way out of PSV after the Dutch club have made a move to replace the midfielder, according to talkSPORT.

Rumours surfaced earlier this year that Sir Alex Ferguson was interested in 22 year old Strootman after impressive displays for both club and country. However, these reports were quashed by PSV, stating that the player is neither ready or available for a move to Old Trafford.

However, reports in Holland are suggesting that the youngster could be on his way to the Premier League after Eindhoven publicised their interest in Elfsborg midfielder Oscar Hiljemark.

While it is thought that the Dutch giants will attempt to rebuff any incoming bids for Strootman this January, a £14 million offer may convince them to part with one of their star players.

Sir Alex Ferguson is keen to bolster his midfield this winter, after choosing to focus on improving other areas of the team over summer. It is thought that Robin Van Persie and Alexander Buttner joining the club, may entice compatriot Strootman to move to Old Trafford.

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AC Milan are also said to be interested in the Dutch star. However, PSV will not entertain any offers until their target, Hiljemark is part of the squad at the Philips Arena.