Manchester United's departure time for Melbourne was not long after full-time so Erik ten Hag skipped a press conference. MUTV's commentary against Liverpool in Bangkok was provided from their studio at Old Trafford but they had someone present to have a brief debrief with the United manager.
"Believe me, I have seen a lot of mistakes," Ten Hag stressed. United supporters will like the cut of that jib. The 4-0 thrashing of Liverpool was not a reliable gauge of this squad and errors are inevitable as players adapt to a new coach's methods.
United often overcommitted, such was the players' eagerness to impress the new manager, and their goal led a charmed life. Liverpool struck the woodwork three times and Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly had to intervene several times either side of the pause.
Also read: United player ratings vs Liverpool
Thankless though it may be to start a second-half against Liverpool 3-0 up in a completely changed team, Alex Telles and Donny van de Beek can have no excuses for their floundering. Rookies Charlie Savage and Zidane Iqbal acquitted themselves temperately in midfield and Telles' relocation to centre half could not legislate for lapses he committed from left-back last season.
“They (Liverpool) were not at their strongest, so we have to not overestimate this result," Ten Hag said. "We have to (be careful).
"But, still, I have seen some really good things and I think what you see is we have a lot of creativity and speed up front, so we have potential.”
Cristiano Ronaldo is not synonymous with creativity and speed. He can create something out of nothing and there is a selfless side he exhibited with a defence-splitting pass for Edinson Cavani at Tottenham and a knock-down for Van de Beek at Watford in successive months.
Ronaldo is dependent on others to create chances for him to finish. Without him in Thailand, United were more fluid, admittedly against full-backs with a combined squad number of 140. Nat Phillips, the centre-back, is fifth down the pecking order at Liverpool and was loaned to the Championship earlier this year.
Anthony Martial started through the middle, switched with Marcus Rashford to the left and scored from the right-hand channel. It is that flexibility United are seeking from an attacking signing, ideally Antony, only Ajax value him at an exorbitant €80million. It would be premature to pin all their hopes on the incumbent Anthony.
Martial has had two good seasons out of seven for United and his starting role on Tuesday night was a consequence of Ronaldo's absence. There are unlikely to be any permanent takers for Martial - a 26-year-old forward with a maximum of three years remaining on his contract - before the transfer window shuts on September 1.
So Ten Hag has to find a use for Martial and, objectively, he is a better player than his overexposed namesake Elanga. Martial's goal was similar to his hat-trick dink against Sheffield United a little over two years ago when he appeared to be developing into the modern No.9 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hoped he would become.
With Martial, Rashford and Sancho, Ten Hag started three attackers who have played their finest football for United from the left. Mason Greenwood was an established starter on the right and Solskjaer was so impressionable he played Sancho on the opposite side with little regard for the fact United had earmarked him as the cure for their right wing ills.
Ten Hag is more headstrong and played Sancho where United intended to play him. There is a misconception the modern winger has to play on the opposite side to maximise his strengths when there are decades of evidence that suggests otherwise.
Sancho is never going to be a fixed forward and he swept in United's first goal after drifting to the left. He put one on a plate for Rashford and teed up Diogo Dalot to rattle the crossbar. Rashford, the bluntest of the attacking triumvirate, at least complemented Sancho and Martial in the interchangeable attacks.
All 35 of Ronaldo's starts last season were as a centre forward and, by virtue of his 37 years, he would compromise United's flow. While he remains on another continent, Ten Hag has to plan ahead without him, regardless of his public proclamations in press conferences.
Ronaldo did drift to the wing in games towards the end of last term but United's point man is never going to downgrade to wingman when he is the most dependable goalscorer in the squad. The prospect of playing Sancho from the right regularly to service Ronaldo has to be preferable for Ten Hag and guarantees potency. Martial scored once last season and that was more as a Premier League starter than Rashford managed.
Whether Ronaldo stays or goes, United need to sharpen their attack. Elanga was pulled to one side by Ten Hag at the Rajamangala Stadium while final decisions on Facundo Pellistri and Amad's immediate futures are not expected to be made until next month. Van de Beek was an imperfect 10 during his half against Liverpool.
There were, in Ten Hag's words, a lot of mistakes. And United still put a fourth past Liverpool.
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