Van Gaal killed Di Maria at Man Utd

Former PSG star Edouard Cisse believes the Argentine winger will thrive under Laurent Blanc in the French capital after his struggles under the Dutch coach at Old Trafford

Edouard Cisse has attacked Louis van Gaal's management of Angel Di Maria, insisting the Manchester United boss "killed" the Argentine winger during his time at Old Trafford.

The 27-year-old completed a £44.5 million move to the Ligue 1 champions in the summer transfer window and made his debut in Sunday's 3-0 win over Monaco, where he appeared as a second-half substitute.

And Cisse, who played over 150 league games for PSG during a 10-year spell with the club, has backed the former Real Madrid star to flourish under Laurent Blanc after struggling to make an impact in his one season for United.

He told Canal +: "He was a little short of sharpness in Monaco, but that's normal. He will bring rhythm and an ability to cut into defences.

"He will have a good manager. One of his best seasons came under [Carlo] Ancelotti. Van Gaal killed him. He must be left to express himself, he's an artist. Laurent Blanc will manage him and he'll have a very good season.

"The other objective for PSG is to stay unbeaten all season. It's never been done before in France. To motivate the players, it's an interesting challenge. Week after week, they would find new desire."

Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian defender David Luiz (L) and Paris Saint-Germain's Argentinian forward Angel Di Maria celebrate their third goal. Photo: AFP