Erik ten Hag’s start to his Manchester United career ended in a disappointment with a 2-1 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford and that was followed by a 4-0 hammering at the hands of Brentford.
Since then, the Red Devils have won five of their last six matches in all competitions, which includes a run of four consecutive league wins. Their recent upturn in form coincided with the coach making changes in his playing XI, especially in defence.
Ten Hag started Raphaël Varane alongside Lisandro Martínez in the heart of the back four, while Tyrell Malacia replaced Luke Shaw in the left-back position. The Dutch fullback made his first start in Manchester United’s victory over Liverpool at home.
“In the training week after the second game, I saw that I was in the starting XI and that I could start against Liverpool. What more could you want?” Voetbal Primeur quoted him as saying.
The 23-year-old has made six starts since arriving at Manchester United from Feyenoord in the summer. His fine displays have seen him receive praise from pundits and former players, including Old Trafford legend Gary Neville.
Responding to that, Malacia said: “These are beautiful words, I will certainly use them in my development. The intensity is higher [in the Premier League]. It’s like playing some kind of final every week.”
