There were rumours that Raphael Varane would not be fit to face Liverpool, but once Manchester United announced Erik ten Hag’s first XI of pre-season, the Frenchman was partnered with Victor Lindelof to lead United’s defence.
Throughout the 45 minutes in which he played, Varane looked calm and composed. For a first match back after his three-week holiday and two weeks of conditioning under Ten Hag, he looked comfortable doing what he does best.
Ultimately, he alongside the other defenders kept an admittedly stripped Liverpool front line from scoring, although Diaz did have several opportunities, hitting the post twice.
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Score lines in pre-season realistically do not mean much, but that doesn’t stop fans from enjoying what was ultimately a 4-0 thrashing of sworn enemies Liverpool.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Varane detailed: “We know exactly how we want to play.
“The manager explained very well what we have to do and it’s absolutely clear.”
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The notion of Erik ten Hag’s instructions being very clear has been a common theme among many interviews with the United players so far.
Speaking on the new manager ahead of the Liverpool fixture, goalscorer Fred said: “He's very detailed in his work, he has his own fine details. All the day-to-day details.
“It's really good for our daily work. Everyone on the pitch has to give their all to help the team.”
Bruno Fernandes is another who shared this sentiment.
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“He’s been really good,” the Portuguese playmaker described. “Everyone is enjoying [training], obviously. Everyone gets really tired at the end of the training but that’s what we have to do.”
Another key theme to come out of player interviews so far is the notion of how important fitness is under Ten Hag. Club captain Harry Maguire spoke in great detail about the fitness required by the manager, explaining, “We’ve come back in good shape, but we need to get fitter.
“I think, on behalf of us last year, we know we need to do more,” Maguire admitted. “We need to be fitter, we need to be physically better and we need to be mentally better.”
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Varane, who partnered Harry Maguire in defence last season, agrees.
“We know we have to be very fit because it’s a very physical way to play,” Varane explained. “But we are happy with the result obviously, but we know we have to work very hard to be ready for the start of the season.”
Manchester United’s 4-0 hammering of Liverpool was the first of six fixtures the club are due to play over the course of Tour 2022.
With the Thailand-based match dealt with, the club will now jet off the Melbourne to play a further three fixtures against Melbourne Victory, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa, before heading back to Europe.
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The final two matches comprises of Spanish opposition, with a face-off against Atletico Madrid in Oslo on 30 July followed by a game against Rayo Vallecano at Old Trafford the following day to round off the tour.
The club then face Brighton & Hove Albion on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, kicking off at 14:00 BST on 7 August.
Topics: Manchester United, Raphael Varane, Harry Maguire, Bruno Fernandes, Fred, Liverpool, Erik Ten Hag, Football
Dylan Penketh