Iain Moss:, external Manchester United players are afraid of Van Gaal so they follow his tactics and take no risks. It's becoming clear that LVG's tactically inept.

Stephen:, external United are awful, LVG is the wrong man for them, so slow, so many long balls to nobody, Preston defending well.

David Smith:, external Too narrow. Di Maria and Herrera come and pack the middle. Shaw and Valencia not good enough to beat their man. Poor tactics.

Juan Mata, Adnan Januzaj and Ashley Young are on the bench for Manchester United tonight. Can they change it?

They could do with Paul Scholes, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Match of the Day

England manager Roy Hodgson on Wayne Rooney on BBC One:

"I don't think it matters where Wayne Rooney plays to me. I have great respect for club coaches, they have to use players where they think best. As long as he is playing well and showing desire. I know if we want him to move up front, like he has done tonight, he can do it like that.

"At the moment I would like to say he has been a key figure at centre forward for England, it would take a lot for me to think along those lines of playing him in midfield, it would be a lot of responsibility for a 19-year old to replace a 100-cap man."

Phil Neville
Former Manchester United defender at Deepdale on BBC One

"Daley Blind has not made many forward passes but he's controlled the game with the most amount of touches. Towards the end of the half Kevin Davies closed down on him and he that nullified that threat a bit."

Wayne Rooney has made some good runs off the back of the Preston defence but he has only had 29 touches - only Falcao had fewer outfield for United. That's why Louis van Gaal moved him into midfield in the first place.

North End defender Paul Huntington only touched it five times. A spectator.

Kevin Kilbane
Former Preston winger at Deepdale

"Wayne Rooney looks sharp tonight and he has a point to prove with him being put back up front."

Phil Neville
Former Manchester United defender at Deepdale on BBC One

Image source, Getty Images

"Manchester United started well and quickly and it looked like it would be a performance to make us notice. But they've settled to a possession game, been happy to just pass it sideways.

"Wayne Rooney and Angel Di Maria are combining well at times. But Di Maria has to get his passing right because Wayne has got into some good positions."

Manchester United had 70% of the ball in that first half - but didn't have a single shot on target.

Chris Waddle at Deepdale
BBC Radio 5 live

"Manchester United dominated possession without creating chances. Preston sat deep and you would expect more from United."

Image source, Reuters

Pretty grim stuff. Preston will be pleased so far but there has been a lack of any quality at all.

Martin Keown
Former Arsenal defender at Deepdale on BBC One

"Wayne Rooney's pace has got him in behind a few times and that's what Manchester United have been lacking recently."

Manchester United fans are singing about Cristiano Ronaldo. The quality served up from their current crop of stars is a million miles away from Ronaldo's heyday...

Chance! A rare chance! Radamel Falcao finally gets some service inside the area, Preston's defence is stretched and Falcao flicks it into the run of Wayne Rooney. It looks like a tap-in but all credit to Bailey Wright, who recovers to slide in and clear his lines. Get that wrong and it's a penalty.

Nick in Worcester: Kevin Davies is a shadow of his former self - it's taken him 38 minutes to get booked!

Angel Di Maria hits a long ball over the top, it's a cracking pass to be fair, Wayne Rooney has broken the offside trap - but he can't bring it down. Just too far for him to reach it.

Phil Mark:, external Would be happy to see the back of Di Maria and Falcao at the end of the season.

Stu Moore:, external United starting well just tempo and final ball as always for them. Herrera and Di Maria need to move more.

James Lawson:, external As a neutral used to love watching Manchester United. They are a tough watch nowadays.

Image source, Reuters

'United will win four or five nil tonight, buddy. No problem.'

That was the opinion of the guy who cut my hair this morning. I wasn't going to argue with him at the time, he had a razor in his hand, but if he's watching now I wonder if he'll change his mind?

Image source, AFP

'Can't pass, can't shoot, can't score' - I think that was the tweet about Blackburn's Josh King on Saturday - just before he started a hat-trick.

You'd get good odds on a hat-trick tonight. Kevin Davies does pick up a booking for a late lunge on Ander Herrera.

Dal in London: The very fact that Preston have had more shots on target tells us a lot about this United side. Poor.

Ruben in Aberdeen: Will someone please tell Louis van Gaal to start using some wingers!

Al in Manchester: Fancy Fellaini for a hat-trick now. I remember somebody lamenting Josh King on Saturday for Blackburn. He did the same.

One shot on target so far, from Preston, and absolutely no chance of a goal at either end. The Preston fans will be happy enough so far though.