Premier League weekend review: Daley Blind and Angel Di Maria lift United while Alan Pardew has one more chance to save his job

Video: The Independent's Simon Rice and Jack De Menezes review the weekend's Premier League action

Louis van Gaal gives the thumbs up at Old Trafford today (GETTY IMAGES)

Every week, The Independent's digital sports team picks out the key players, performances and talking points from the weekend's Premier League action.

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal declared that the team's 4-0 trouncing of Queen’s Park Rangers was "the start of a new beginning" for his players after three win-less matches in the Premier League.

Angel Di Maria was the stand-out player for United while debutant Daley Blind also excelled in the new-look team. Van Gaal even suggested that the squad could go on to challenge for the Premier League title, but was that just wishful thinking?

United's new-found optimism was helped by the fact that they were up against a QPR team who looked like they could not wait for the ordeal to be over.

While van Gaal revelled in victory and the easing off of some of the pressure he has faced in recent weeks, Alan Pardew had the weekend from hell.

Newcastle United were comprehensively beaten 4-0 by Southampton on Saturday and fans of the Magpies voiced their growing displeasure with Pardew. Reports suggest Pardew still has the backing of Newcastle owner Mike Ashley but many believe Saturday's home game against Hull is a make-or-break moment for the former Reading, West Ham and Charlton boss.

Newcastle are bottom of the table and have only won one match out of their last 12 league games.

How Newcastle United wish they had a player like Diego Costa, who scored a hat-trick on Saturday for Chelsea, bringing his tally of Premier League goals to seven in his first four matches.