Just like in April, the scoreline ended 4-0, only this time it was reversed. Erik ten Hag presented silverware to a Thai dignitary on Monday and received some on Tuesday.
Manchester United will not be centring an exhibition around the Century Cup in the museum back at Old Trafford and the last Dutch manager returned from his maiden pre-season tour with some additional hand luggage, having also overseen victory over Liverpool.
Battering Liverpool is always an ideal start for a United manager, whatever the context. United last beat Liverpool 4-0 in April 2003. Three months ago, Liverpool inflicted the same scoreline on United in one of the most sobering nights in the club’s recent history. In Bangkok, some Liverpool fans sported ‘9-0’ shirts, celebrating their aggregate evisceration of United last term.
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Jurgen Klopp treated the occasion so frivolously he made 21 substitutions, with 10 every half-an-hour, the match effectively an inconvenience. Klopp has banked enough goodwill and assured enough open-top bus parades past the Albert Dock to be forgiven. Ten Hag needed to make a statement of intent in a summer United had hitherto lacked one.
There were parallels with the start of Ralf Rangnick’s reign; United pressed, adopted a high line with and without the ball and Fred executed a right-footed lob. David de Gea even emerged from his area three times. United were unable to maintain that level under their interim manager and supporters should proceed with caution.
Enthusiasm will be tempered by the unrecognisable Liverpool back four; their starting full-backs alone had a combined squad number of 140. Liverpool withdrew all 10 outfield starters after 30 minutes and the second XI conceded almost immediately through identically disastrous defending.
Yet United were merciless, particularly the incisive Jadon Sancho. Marcus Rashford ran relentlessly and Anthony Martial unnerved Nat Phillips to score his first goal for the club in eight months. Bruno Fernandes, nearing his optimum again, accelerated attacks with his probing passes.
In a team devoid of a single signing, it will have encouraged Ten Hag how quickly United’s regulars adapted. There were six players inside the Liverpool third for the first press, the full-backs doubled as wingers and Raphael Varane won a throw-in adjacent to Liverpool’s 18-yard box.
The starting United side set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation and the second XI (De Gea stayed on) was strikerless and in a 4-3-3, with the left-back Alex Telles at centre-back. Telles, rebuked by Ten Hag during a drinks break, was later shouted at by his new manager. Seconds later, Telles mistimed a header and Eric Bailly intervened again. The Brazilian should perhaps view his brief relocation as an invitation to the departures’ lounge.
Academy graduates Zidane Iqbal and Charlie Savage, replacements for Scott McTominay and Fred, acquitted themselves commendably against the higher calibre of opposition and Bailly bailed out Telles more than once. Not content with defending, Bailly sparked the breakaway and Facundo Pellistri started this pre-season as he did last year with an unflappable finish.
Despite no additions and an absent captain, Ten Hag has quickly established a selection hierarchy. Nothing meaningful but it may shatter some delusions of grandeur certain fringe players harbour. Donny van de Beek was not jolted by the presence of his ally on the touchline.
United will have to master that intense approach over the coming months. At times, United overcommitted and their goal led a charmed life when Fabio Carvalho and Luis Diaz each struck the post in the same madcap minute at 1-0. Liverpool hit the upright again in a second-half where they hogged the ball against United’s reserves.
Ten Hag stood in the technical area for the majority of the match, backed by vocal lieutenants Mitchell van der Gaag and Steve McClaren. Ten Hag has entrusted his assistants to oversee the bulk of training and it can only be beneficial for the United players they have permanent coaching staff instructing them daily, as well as on matchday.
Ten Hag was not animated but collared Anthony Elanga during a brief stoppage to offer a tidbit. Whether it is in the stands, at a press conference or the touchline, Ten Hag’s stoic mask seldom slips.
Sancho started on the right and scored from the left, seizing on the loose ball inside the Liverpool area to sweep past Alisson. Originally identified as United’s panacea for the right-hand side, such was the delay to Sancho’s protracted signing by the time he pulled on the shirt he had thrived from the left for Borussia Dortmund and an impressionable Ole Gunnar Solskjaer started him there.
United’s attacking triumvirate was flexible but Sancho stayed on the right while Rashford and Martial switched. Sancho relished the collaboration with the adventurous Diogo Dalot, who rattled the woodwork in the dying embers of the first-half.
Towards the end of the second half, Ten Hag appeared on the giant screen and was cheered. The scoreline read 4-0.
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