If evolution is the realistic end of the initial phase of Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United project, a 3-0 half-time lead over Liverpool in Bangkok meant the feeling was closer to revolution in this first match of the Dutchman’s term.
Of course it is not. And he will hardly prove it unless Ten Hag possesses the kind of managerial magic of Jürgen Klopp, who changed his 10 fielders every half hour, and Pep Guardiola. This was also a first pre-season game for Liverpool, and the German players were half-done and slow in front of the goal, where United stood out, in what ended in a good 4-0 victory. .
The manager offered a realistic assessment. “Today we are satisfied because I think it was a team [ours] with a great spirit and we know that we are just starting out and that things went wrong, “Ten Hag said.” We made some mistakes in pressing; believe me, I have seen many mistakes. We’ve given in a few times but we’ve also created a lot. Our team played brave, played proactively. We have to work hard to eliminate mistakes, but we are happy with the first game. “
In a sticky, though not exhausted, Rajamangala stadium, this was like a dream for Ten Hag, with each of United’s four attacks offering hope for a better future, although the rear is always close to a farce. more recent.
Example: an incursion by Isaac Mabaya into the right-hand side aisle left Luke Shaw nowhere and David de Gea had to do it with his toes. Another: Tyler Morton, on the opposite side, skated on the left and hit a ball that De Gea scratched before Bruno Fernandes cleared.
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah is trying to stop Manchester United’s new signing Tyrell Malacia. Photography: Runongoj Yongrit / EPA
Each of these was a quick break. United’s build, although thinner than last season, came closer to the geometric variety that Guardiola has executed Manchester City and, when they hit, was as accurate as Ten Hag would have liked.
Jadon Sancho found Anthony Martial who fed Scott McTominay who recycled the ball. Fernandes fit a diagonal, Mabaya made a clearance and there was Sancho to finish what he started, driving past Alisson.
Given that the back four of the first half read Diogo Dalot, Raphaël Varane, Victor Lindelöf and Luke Shaw with the same two protective players ahead of McTominay and Fred, there was a sense of surprise about the porosity of this one. unit. Fábio Carvalho and Luis Díaz each approached in a comic red shirt montage that featured a dusty McTominay header, only the goal frame stopped the tie.
United’s line-up could have been taken away from any departure from the last quarter prior to Martial’s January loan and which lost Cristiano Ronaldo, who is not on tour. This retro feel isn’t what Ten Hag wants, but since only Tyrell Malaysia has been hired, his choice was Hobson. The advantage of this was that the 52-year-old could see at first glance a band that failed miserably when he lost 35 points to City, with only the reaffirmed captain, Harry Maguire, absent for once.
Monday night training here had been instructive. Ten Hag was relentless in terms of training his players, whether the activity was a big round, a central circle, a game of small sides or a full-fledged competition of attack against defense. Perhaps this prompted Varane and Lindelöf to be on Liverpool’s 18-yard line when Fred lost the ball after some early Sancho tricks – this is the highest of the high pressures.
Bruno Fernandes and Manchester United coach Erik ten Hag with the trophy awarded to beat Liverpool. Photo: Chalinee Thirasupa / Reuters
Sancho was United’s best player. A trap behind the ankle with the other foot drew “ooh!” just like the back cross, though McTominay didn’t get the double. Fred did to crown another impressive sequence. It includes McTominay, Fernandes and Sancho, who dropped the ball into the area. Martial was frustrated by Joe Gomez, but when possession dodged Fred, he chipped Alisson sumptuously.
He arrived in half an hour. Klopp had made his first 10 changes and was counterproductive instantly when the new team (bar Alisson) cooled down. Rhys Williams was stolen as a pickpocket by Martial and as the goalkeeper progressed, he was defeated once again by a United chip.
For the second half, Ten Hag changed his 10 fielders (Klopp replaced Alisson for Adrian), this setting with a midfielder to Donny van de Beek as a fake 9; Alex Telles, left-back in center; and rookie and left-back Malacia in the right position. Malaysia showed a clear lead when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain hit the post.
Klopp’s final constellation featured Andy Robertson, TrentAlexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Thiago Alcântara, Mohamed Salah and Darwin Núñez, making him a certifiable A team. But it was a young man, Tom Hill, who assaulted Eric Bailly and tried to play Thiago before the Ivorian stabbed the ball.
Núñez’s contribution was to take a break from Tom Heaton and turn down a late chance, but as Liverpool finished with United approaching Salah, his overall record would be said to be “silenced”.
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Not so for Ten Hag and his men: the fourth came through Bailly’s dazzling footwork, which brought the center-back to the opposite half. Facundo Pellistri took over, exchanged passes with Amad Diallo and finished.
But, as the new No. 1 said, this is only the bare minimum of beginnings. “Liverpool play on three teams,” Ten Hag said. “They weren’t at their strongest moment, so we shouldn’t overestimate this result. We have to be careful. But still, I’ve seen very good things and what you see is that we have a lot of creativity and speed ahead. , so we have potential “.