Old Trafford witnessed its most eventful game of the season in a feisty 2-1 success over Everton featuring seven yellow cards, a first goal for Colombian loanee Radamel Falcao and a heroic series of saves by goalkeeper David De Gea.
If the Spaniard's stop from Leighton Baines's penalty right on halftime was historic, ending the England defender's run of 14 successes from the spot, it could still not compare to his three saves in the last 10 minutes.
He beat out two efforts by Leon Osman and then turned a fierce drive by Bryan Oviedo, another substitute, over the bar.
That final flourish followed a defiant block by United's young defender Tyler Blackett from Gareth Barry, and what must have alarmed the crowd was the ease with which lowly Everton were able to slice through the home team's ranks.
After a close-season in which three experienced international defenders were allowed to leave the club, Van Gaal was once again unable to select injured centre backs Jonny Evans, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling.
That meant pairing new signing Marcos Rojo with teenager Paddy McNair in the centre, with 19-year-old Luke Shaw at left-back, and Everton might have profited had they shown greater ambition in the first half.
As it was there was no threat until Shaw's unwise tackle from behind on Tony Hibbert in the last minute of the half conceded the penalty.
De Gea, hitherto unemployed, was kept much busier in the second half, leaving Van Gaal understandably bewildered as to how United can regularly change so much for the worse after their halftime tea.
They had just managed to hold on in the West Ham game last weekend after almost frittering away a 2-0 lead once Wayne Rooney was sent off but had been caught out the previous week in collapsing from 3-1 up against promoted Leicester City to crash to a 5-3 defeat.
Eight league and cup matches this season have now produced only two clean sheets.
If the Van Gaal hairstyle will soon be showing 50 shades of grey, however, neutrals around the world following all the excitement on television must be loving it all far more than the unhappy and un-United-like era of former boss David Moyes.
(Editing by Toby Davis)
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