Angel di Maria and Luke Shaw returns to Manchester United training

Angel di Maria could return to the Manchester United squad at Aston Villa after recovering from the slight hamstring tear that has kept him out of the last three games.

United’s record £59.7million signing has trained with the first team this week and is ready to add to Louis van Gaal’s attacking options as the Dutchman looks to extend his winning run to seven games.


But the United boss will not rush Di Maria back too quickly and has warned him that, like Radamel Falcao, he may have to be patient.

Van Gaal said: ‘Angel di Maria has trained this week with us so it’s always dependable how I have to compare with other players because he is not match fit after one week.

'What I’ve said about Robin van Persie and Falcao I also say about Di Maria. It’s a procedure and he has to follow it. Maybe I shall select him for the bench and maybe not. We have one training session to go.’

Falcao has scored one goal in 11 games and struggled to win a first-team place due to injury. Van Gaal has previously said that the Colombia star was only able to play 20 minutes before stepping up his fitness in training, and refused to be drawn on whether he will start at Villa Park.

‘He didn't play so much and then you cannot see too much of a player,’ said Van Gaal. ‘And he didn't train so much because he was injured a lot of the time so first you have to be fit.

‘I have said that three weeks or a month ago, the first demand is fitness of a player. And OK, we wait for the fitness of a player. Now he shows fitness in the training sessions so maybe I shall select him, maybe for the bench or the line-up. Wait and see.’

Credit: Chris Wheeler/SportsMail