Manchester, Jan 3 (IANS): Manchester United head coach Louis van Gaal believes his side’s win over Swansea could just be the starting point from where the football club builds on in the New Year.

United beat Swansea 2-1 on Saturday in an English Premier League (EPL) encounter courtesy strikes from Anthony Martial and Wayne Rooney. Gylfi Sigurdsson had scored the equaliser for Swansea in the game.

United had not won in their previous eight matches, their worst run since January 1990, prompting speculation over van Gaal’s future. The win has taken the Red Devils to the fifth spot in the points table.

"It's amazing that you can perform the game plan like we have done, in a risky style, under this pressure," van Gaal was quoted as saying by the BBC.

"I hope this is a fantastic starting point for us," he said.

Rooney’s flick (238 goals for United) was just his third goal this season but that has taken him closer to club's record scorer Bobby Charlton who had netted 249 times.

"Now we are playing much more matches but still it is an achievement,” said van Gaal as the Dutch tactician reflected on Rooney's place in the club's history.

"He scored a fantastic goal, with his left foot behind his right foot. You cannot imagine what a goal that is."