Erik ten Hag enjoyed a dream start to his tenure with a 4-0 friendly win over a Liverpool side featuring one very expensive summer signing
Manchester United ensured the Erik ten Hag era got off to a winning start as they thrashed Liverpool 4-0 in their pre-season friendly match in Thailand.
First-half goals from Jadon Sancho, Fred and Anthony Martial did the damage in Bangkok’s Rajamangala Stadium, and Facundo Pellistri rounded off an eye-catching United victory late on, as both sides made wholesale changes.
Liverpool used 32 players in all, changing all 10 outfield players every half hour. The Reds gave debuts to both Fabio Carvalho and Darwin Nunez, the new £85 million ($100m) signing from Benfica, who played the final 30 minutes.
United, meanwhile, handed Tyrell Malacia his first run out, the new left-back playing 45 minutes following his switch from Feyenoord, with both sides using a host of academy players alongside their established first-team stars.
GettyTen Hag's dream start
As introductions go, this was about as good as Erik Ten Hag could have hoped for. Sure, United are a little ahead of Liverpool in terms of preparation, and yes, they named a more experienced starting XI, which proved the difference in the first half hour. One pre-season win won’t solve all, or indeed any, of their problems either.
But after so much negativity and uncertainty at Old Trafford, Ten Hag and his players will have been delighted to start the new era with a win – and a convincing one over their arch-rivals at that.
The question now is how they will handle the tougher tests which await. There were, remember, 34 points between these sides last season, and closing that gap will be high on Ten Hag’s list of priorities going forward.
AdvertisementGettyDarwin's encouraging debut
It looked like Darwin Nunez was about to mark his first Liverpool appearance with a debut goal, when Mohamed Salah’s shot struck a post and rebounded kindly into his path. But as Eric Bailly flew in to make the block, the Uruguayan got his finish all wrong, firing over the bar on his right foot.
Still, this was an encouraging first outing for the 23-year-old, who showed plenty to suggest he will slot in nicely at Anfield. Nunez’s movement was good, always on the shoulder of the last defender and able to peel off and find space, as he did when forcing a decent save from David De Gea from Andy Robertson’s diagonal pass.
More will be expected, of course, as he adjusts to his new team-mates and his new club, but after just a couple of training sessions – one of which was disrupted by painful blisters – the Reds’ new No.27 already looks like he’s getting into the swing of things.
GettySancho's statement of intent
This is a big season for Jadon Sancho, and here he played like a man who understands that fact.
Having shown only flashes of his undoubted class last term, the former Borussia Dortmund will be looking to find consistency in his second campaign in Manchester. And with a World Cup on the horizon, the carrot is there for the 22-year-old to do exactly that.
He was sharp here, taking advantage of the inexperience of Isaac Mabaya to fire United in front. He caused issues for Nat Phillips, Joe Gomez and Rhys Williams, too, with his closing down and movement.
A step in the right direction, without a shadow of a doubt.
GettyDiaz picks up where he left off
Having lit up Anfield since his arrival from Porto in January, all eyes are on Luis Diaz to see whether he can continue that form in his first full season on Merseyside. On this evidence, nobody needs to worry about that.
The Colombian simply picked up where he had left off, as sharp and as lively as he had been during the second half of last season. He is relentlessly positive, Diaz, forever running at defenders and asking questions.
Starting on the left, he gave Diogo Dalot plenty of problems during the first half an hour, forcing David De Gea into a sprawling save with one shot and clipping the outside of the post with another. That will be an area to improve on this season, his goalscoring record, but if and when it does, then Liverpool will be in business, and then some.