Louis van Gaal issues warning to Angel di Maria over his behaviour

Louis van Gaal has urged Angel di Maria to change his behaviour if he has to extend his stay at Manchester United.

The Argentine has had a lacklustre first season at Old Trafford, for which he has received a lot of flak from all corners. However, Van Gaal, who brought the midfielder from Real Madrid last season, insists that the player still has it in him to take the extra step and prove his detractors wrong.

However, for that to take place, he has to change his behaviour, something that would take a lot more effort than what he is currently putting on the field. The Red Devils face Arsenal on Sunday in a game that can decide their fate in the race for a top three finish, with a win for United, taking them above the Gunners on the league table.

Di Maria was sent off in the same fixture in the quarter finals of the FA Cup in March and it would be a good show of intent if he is able to right his wrongs and lead his team to a win over their fierce rivals.

"The players have had to adapt to the philosophy and Di Maria has to do that," the Red Devils boss said.

"He can still do that, of course, because every player can but it's important that he wants to do that in his head.

"When you are open to coaching, then you can change but a change of behaviour is very difficult. Always, the old errors are coming back so a change of behaviour is not so easy so we have to wait and see.

"It's not that Di Maria doesn't have the quality. He has to perform in a way that we want. Not in the way I want but in the way we want as a club," he concluded.