Paul Scholes believes Manchester United's fortunes have changed dramatically since Angel Di Maria was sent off last month.

The Argentine was shown a red card for two bookable offences in the FA Cup quarter-final loss to Arsenal on March 9 and former midfielder Scholes suggests that was the moment where Louis van Gaal was able to work out his best line-up.

'When I look back on the key changes, I still feel that Angel Di Maria's red card against Arsenal was critical in allowing van Gaal to build this new-look team,' Scholes wrote in his column for the London Evening Standard.

'When I look at the side it seems to me to be a triumph of the underdog - Juan Mata, Marouane Fellaini, Ashley Young. All of whom looked like they could be out the picture at the start of the season and are now having a big impact.

'The formation is bold. It is much more attacking and more what I expected of van Gaal when he arrived.'