Smalling transformation down to himself, not me – Man Utd manager LVG

“I think when he does things, he does it by himself”, van Gaal said on MUTV.

“It was a great feeling (to score) and, with Juan, you never know what he’s going to do with those tricks and flicks”, he added.

Mata’s penalty drew them level on a splendid night for the Spaniard and there was a touch of improvisational brilliance about the way he set up the decisive goal for Chris Smalling.

Van Gaal’s side were hanging on for the win at the end under sustained pressure from Wolfsburg, with the United boss admitting afterwards his players squandered the ball too easily.

United made the worst possible start on Wednesday when they went behind in the fourth minute after Antonio Valencia played Daniel Caligiuri onside and he slotted the ball past David de Gea.

Martial was up to his old tricks once again only moments later as he managed to get beyond the two defenders but very unlike the French strikers form, he sent his effort just wide of the target. “We have a rat race that is not always the same in other countries”, explained Van Gaal. The Italian was used instead on the left, where he does not look so assured, and United were also fortunate in the closing stages that Morgan Schneiderlin was not sent off. Viktor Kassai, the Hungarian referee, infuriated the home crowd at times but Schneiderlin ought to have been shown a second yellow card for clipping the heels of the elusive Julian Draxler six minutes from the end.

Old Trafford was a nervy place in the dying stages as Wolfsburg pushed for an equaliser.

Schweinsteiger will play alongside Morgan Schneiderlin in the midfield, as Ander Herrera did not make the match day squad.

According OptaStats, Wolfsburg come into the game having lost all three of their trips to England in European competition, with the Bundesliga side conceding eight goals during that run.

Caligiuri, meanwhile, felt Wolfsburg were unfortunate not to come away with at least a point.

Manchester United were beaten 2-1 in their group opener at PSV two-weeks ago.

The win saw the Red Devils bounce back from their defeat to PSV Eindhoven on matchday one and leaves all four teams level on three points in Group B.