Manchester United: Morgan Schneiderlin grabs debut goal but Louis van Gaal unhappy with pitch

Morgan Schneiderlin scored on his Manchester United debut during their opening pre-season friendly against Mexican outfit Club America in Seattle last night, but Louis van Gaal appeared less than impressed by the condition of the playing surface at CenturyLink Field.

French international Scheiderlin, who became United's fourth signing of the summer on 13 July after completing a £25m move from Premier League rivals Southampton, started the match alongside fellow newcomers Matteo Darmian and Memphis Depay and took just five minutes to break the deadlock after rising at the back post to head home Juan Mata's cross.

That effort proved to be the only goal of the game, although supporters did also get to see Bastian Schweinsteiger in action for the first time as Van Gaal opted to field entirely different teams in each half.

After the win, Schneiderlin told MUTV: "I'm very happy to get the goal in my first game. It was a great cross from Mata."

Despite his team emerging victorious, however, Van Gaal was evidently not content with the state of a pitch that required plenty of attention and watering leading up to the game due to the staging of a One Direction concert earlier in the week.

"It was not good. It was difficult. The first surface is artificial and natural grass over. It is always moving. You can get more and more injuries," he said as reported by BBC Sport.

"It was a big concern. That is the difference in the USA. In American football that kind of stuff is more important. In England we have Old Trafford and it is only for football. No One Direction entertainment. But in England we live for football. Here they live for American football, baseball and basketball. It is different."

United will not have to play in Seattle again during their latest International Champions Cup trip, with their next fixture against the San Jose Earthquakes on 21 July scheduled to take place down the west coast at the Avaya Stadium in San Jose, California.

Van Gaal's side will also play La Liga champions Barcelona in Santa Clara and meet Paris Saint-Germain at Soldier Field, home of the NFL's Chicago Bears franchise.