Rare Header Thrills Pereira

When Andreas Pereira pictured scoring his first senior goal for Manchester United, it is unlikely he'd have imagined it would be a header.

The free-kick expert has many strings to his bow but arriving in the box to nod in crosses has not been a regular part of his repertoire for the club's Under-18 and Under-21 teams. Last season's Reserve Player of the Year is certainly taking his big chance with both hands and his performance in the second tour match against San Jose Earthquakes drew praise from Louis van Gaal.

After his pal Adnan Januzaj also uncharacteristically netted his first goal for the first team on tour with a header, against Kitchee in Hong Kong in 2013, Pereira was thrilled to profit from Jesse Lingard's excellent cross at the Avaya Stadium.

"I'm very happy that I scored my first goal and we won the game," the Brazil Under-20 international told MUTV. "I think it's my first one [with my head] so I'm very happy to score my first header.

"I think I have to do well to try to impress the manager, try to impress everyone, so I can continue with the first team and do well this season. I think it's important for me to play in different positions. If the boss tells me to play on the left or behind the striker, I play where he tells me to play so it's no problem for me."

Van Gaal admitted his surprise at seeing Pereira, who operated in a central role, net in such circumstances but he was impressed by the execution and the build-up involving Ander Herrera and Lingard.

"Yeah, it's remarkable," van Gaal laughed on MUTV. "I liked the goal of Pereira. It was a beautiful goal, a beautiful attack also, and he's not so big. But, at the right moment, there's the gap and the header is also very good. I like this goal but, of course, I like every goal that Manchester United can score!"