Manchester United kicked off the Erik ten Hag era in flying fashion.
Having lost 4-0 the last time they played Liverpool, United evened things up with a victory by the same scoreline.
Three first half goals from Jadon Sancho, Fred and Anthony Martial had the Red Devils in the driving seat at half time, and despite a weakened XI for the second half against a stronger Liverpool side Facundo Pellistri made it four with around 15 minutes left to play.
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Here are five things UtdDistrict learned from the win against Liverpool:
1 - Martial might be ‘back’
The last two seasons have been extremely difficult for Manchester United’s No.9, but Anthony Martial’s talent means some will never give up on him and today that talent was on full display.
Martial displayed all the on-ball quality that made him one of the best strikers in the Premier League in 2019/20, but played with a level of intensity we have not seen from him before.
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Martial has always been an intelligent presser, but he was far quicker today to close down Liverpool every time, which led to his goal, a sublime chip when one on one against Alisson.
When in possession, he occupied the box extremely well which helped in the buildup to Sancho’s goal. With Cristiano Ronaldo potentially departing, more performances like this could mean United do not need to sign a starting striker.
2 - Jadon Sancho has arrived
Last season was difficult for everyone, and £72 million signing Jadon Sancho was no exception. He came into this pre-season with a point to prove, and today he certainly played like it.
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Sancho looked extremely sharp from the start, pressing well out of possession and playing with real purpose when the ball was at his feet.
The 22-year-old was taking on players for fun and beating them like they weren’t there, and instinctively pounced on a loose ball in the box to beat Alisson with an excellent finish.
Sancho looked like a £72 million footballer today, he was the best player on the pitch, and as the team grows with Ten Hag, the only way is up for one of Europe’s very best talents.
3 - Ten Hag instructions clear to see
One of the key features noticed from Ten Hag’s training this week is his instructions for the fullbacks to come inside and play centrally.
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In both halves today, all of Luke Shaw, Diogo Dalot, Tyrell Malacia and Aaron Wan-Bissaka were seen occupying central areas in the earlier possession phases.
Whilst the former three looked more comfortable with this role than Wan-Bissaka, the instructions were more than clear to see.
In general, United’s possession looked far better and more planned out than usual. They moved the ball quicker and with greater purpose, and Liverpool struggled to deal with this.
4 - Centre-backs playing with great aggression and De Gea sweeping up behind
United’s centre-backs all performed solidly today, even Alex Telles in a makeshift centre-half role, and the most notable thing was the level of aggression they played with.
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United, in the first half especially, were often seen operating with quite a high line and the centre-backs were often stepping up into midfield to cut passes out and follow attackers.
Bailly in particular excelled at this, with his well-read interception setting off the counter attack for United’s fourth goal of the game.
Despite missing captain Harry Maguire through injury, United's new and more aggressive approach to defending was mostly carried out well and the number five will certainly relish this style when he returns.
Key to this style was the goalkeeper, and David de Gea’s newfound willingness to come off his line and deal with balls in behind helped United to sustain the pressure they were attacking Liverpool with.
5 - Some excellent showings from youth players
Amad Diallo assisting Facundo Pellistri for United’s fourth goal was just the cherry on top for some of the club’s younger players in today’s showing.
In an unconventional false nine role, Amad led the line well despite seeing little of the ball as Liverpool attacked United hard in the second half with their strongest side.
His technical proficiency when linking up with his fellow attackers as well as his understanding of which spaces to occupy are on show regardless of where he plays across the attack.
Pellistri was constantly keen to take on his man despite some struggles. He drew a lot of fouls from Andrew Robertson and his goal was excellently finished off.
Zidane Iqbal and Charlie Savage both impressed massively in midfield. The latter in particular had viewers wondering whether or not United had somehow got hold of his namesake.
Despite playing against stronger, more experienced opponents for the most part, the pressure never seemed to faze either of United’s second half pivot pairing as they showcased their abilities.
United’s youth sides are filled with talent, and today they showed that when called upon they will deliver. The same can be true across the season as a whole.
Topics: Manchester United, Liverpool, Anthony Martial, Jadon Sancho, Facundo Pellistri, Amad Diallo, Eric Bailly, Erik Ten Hag
Yusuf Haq