Wayne Rooney Admits Angel Di Maria Is Struggling at Manchester United

Wayne Rooney believes Angel Di Maria can "figure it out" at Manchester United after posting yet another disappointing display for the Old Trafford club.

The captain spoke after Louis van Gaal decided to substitute Di Maria at halftime during the side's 2-0 victory over Sunderland. With the score at 0-0, Van Gaal brought on youngster Adnan Januzaj, who put in an extremely useful shift. Rooney backs Di Maria to get it right, per Chris Wheeler of the Daily Mail:

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Today was one of those days that every footballer has. He is a great player, he has shown that and you don’t lose your talent overnight. Hopefully he will get back to his best and start giving some great performances for us.

He has got a lot of experience and I think he will figure it out. We all have to do that sometimes. There is nothing worse than when everyone keeps going on at you. You have to come to it in your own way and I’m sure he will be a big player for us between now and the end of the season.

"

Squawka highlighted the overall sloppiness in Di Maria's performance:

The Argentinian is yet to underline exactly where he fits into United's lineup. According to WhoScored.com, Di Maria has played seven different positions this season—in central midfield, on both wings, up front and slight variations of each—without sustaining an impact.

He has a habit of playing badly before popping up with an assist, recently highlighted during the win against Burnley and loss at Swansea City, but he is far from recreating the form which saw him thrust Real Madrid to Champions League success.

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

The most disappointing aspect of his performance against Sunderland was his decision-making and noticeable lack of desire. Di Maria flitted to the right wing as the first half wore on, jogging away from possession while Ashley Young worked overtime on the opposite flank. When the former Benfica man had an opportunity to slip Young through on goal prior to the break, he misplaced a tougher and less obvious pass to Radamel Falcao.

Di Maria offered no burst of energy to track back when he lost the ball, no overpowering willingness to underline why he made it into UEFA's 2014 Team of the Year. Indeed, B/R UK's tweet highlighted how things have changed since his arrival:

Past reputation and a British transfer record made many United fans instantly worship him, but his future will be seriously questioned if he doesn't provide a sign of fight soon. When you've got others grafting for every opportunity—namely Young and Januzaj—it's no wonder Van Gaal took the big call and sacrificed Di Maria with a half to spare.

We all know what the player is capable of. He can drive forward brilliantly, stretch his side's play with pace and incision. He is a fine deliverer of the ball and the type of star who sets success in motion. While never a prolific goalscorer, Di Maria has a habit of popping up at the right time.

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

He hasn't scored since Oct. 5 in the Premier League for United. Four goals and eight assists in 23 appearances isn't particularly bad for a transitional year, per WhoScored, but it's the manner of Di Maria's displays that frustrates the most. He has the potential to be the difference-maker, the player who thrusts United toward the Champions League, but right now one has to question where he fits in.

Considering United's best performance of the season came during the Nov. 29 win over Hull City—a match Di Maria played 14 minutes in, per WhoScored—Van Gaal may consider keeping him out of the team more often.

Jon Super/Associated Press

"We have to give Angel a little bit more time to adapt to the Premier League, the high English rhythm," said the boss after the match, reported by Stuart Mathieson of the Manchester Evening News. This is true—any player deserves time to make the adjustment—but United simply can't wait.

One slip-up along the side's final 11 Premier League matches could end their hopes of Champions League qualification for a second successive year. These are the moments in which world-class players step up. Di Maria is wildly talented and capable of making the difference without playing his best, but Van Gaal has shown this is no longer enough.