Louis van Gaal wins first piece of silverware as Man United manager as Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard score to down Liverpool in International Champions Cup

Looking on: Rooney watches his effort slot in from the tightest of angles as Skrtel looks dejected

Get in: Juan Mata celebrates after putting United ahead in the second-half in Miami

Quick-fire: Mata is mobbed by team-mates after completing the turnaround for United

Rounded off: Lingard slots home United's third with two minutes remaining at the Sun Life Stadium

Three's up: Youngster Lingard runs off in celebration at sealing the victory for his side

Champions: Darren Fletcher and Rooney lift the International Champions Cup trophy

No way: Phil Jones pleads his innocence after giving away the penalty early on in Miami

Out: The ball clearly hits the stanchion before bouncing out towards Rooney to slot home

Sterling had already caused them enough problems down the left flank when he pushed the ball past Phil Jones inside the penalty box. Jones is not the quickest of centre-backs, nor can he always resist the temptation to dive in, and on this occasion it cost his team a penalty.

The way he and his teammates protested showed just how much this game meant to them, but it was the right decision by referee Mark Geiger even though Jones got the slightest of touches. After that, there was never any doubt Gerrard would beat David De Gea from the spot.

In fact, Liverpool should have had another penalty in the 34th minute when Jones’s poor pass played Chris Smalling into trouble. Rickie Lambert laid the ball to Sterling and the fact that Ander Herrera clearly fouled him with his second attempt to tackle the winger was somehow missed by the match officials.

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United’s best chance in the first half arrived as early as the fifth minute when Javier Hernandez slid in to turn Young’s outswinging pass back across goal and Mamadou Sakho’s last-ditch clearance denied Rooney an almost certain goal.

Liverpool had the best of it, though, and Jordan Henderson headed over from a great position when Hernandez could only help Gerrard’s freekick into his path before Phillipe Coutinho brought a fantastic save from De Gea down by his near post.

They continued to threaten after half-time and could have scored another two within five minutes of the restart.

This time it was Herrera’s turn to put Mata under pressure with a poor pass. He was easily dispossessed and Gerrard squared the ball to Lambert whose finish from 10 yards lacked conviction.

Piling in: Hernandez, who missed a sitter early on in Miami, loses out to Skrtel in the second-half

In front: United midfielder Juan Mata looks to get to the ball ahead of defender Martin Skrtel

Moments later, Coutinho again exposed Jones with a pass in behind the United defender and Sterling cut inside only to see his effort deflect wide off the heels of Smalling.

So you could understand the sense of shock when United suddenly struck back with two goals in three minutes.

It was difficult to tell which was better, Hernandez’s cross or Rooney’s finish, when they got the first. The Mexican picked out his teammate’s run with a quite wonderful ball to the back post. There was still plenty of work to do from a tight angle with Martin Skrtel in close attendance, but Rooney watched the ball all the way before guiding it back across Simon Mignolet and inside the far post with his left foot.

Unfortunate: Antonio Valencia (right) came off early on after injury for United for Luke Shaw

Denied: Javier Hernandez sees his effort from distance blocked by Liverpool captain Gerrard

Hefty: Ashley Young goes in hard on Glen Johnson as United looked to get a foothold in the game

Clothes line: Jones then hands off Sterling to the face as the young winger looked to accelerate

Ever the predator, Rooney was lurking to guide home the loose ball but the furtive glance and wry smile gave something away long before the error was spotted on television and the goal chalked off.

There was nothing wrong with Lingard’s effort in the 88th minute though. Again Young was involved, racing down the right and crossing into the Liverpool box. Shinji Kagawa miscontrolled but it only teed the ball up for Lingard who took one touch before rifling a shot past Mignolet.

No doubt the scoreline flattered United. But Van Gaal has been brought in to win, and so far that is all he has done.

Turning in: Wayne Rooney pivots inside under the attention of Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel

Finale: United and Liverpool line-up before the game surrounded by firework smoke

Skippers: Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard lead the teams out at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens

Soaked: The rain had hit the Sun Life Stadium in Miami hard before kick-off for the final