Rio Ferdinand raves about Ten Hag’s first United signing Tyrell Malacia

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Rio Ferdinand raved about Erik ten Hag‘s first Manchester United signing Tyrell Malacia after the left-back’s performance against Liverpool.

The former Feyenoord man was handed his first Premier League start against our bitter rivals.

The Netherlands international came directly up against one of the top-flight’s best players in recent history in Mohamed Salah.

Having come off the bench to replace Luke Shaw in the first two games of the season, United’s number 12 impressed on his first start and relished the battle against the Egyptian.

Rio Ferdinand raves about Tyrell Malacia

Only Bruno Fernandes (66) had more touches against Jurgen Klopp’s side than the 23-year-old (43).

No player from either side made more tackles than Malacia (5), according to WhoScored.

Reds legend Ferdinand has been impressed with what he’s seen from Malacia and he compared the former Rotterdam man to his former teammate and fellow left-back Patrice Evra.

Speaking on his FIVE channel, Ferdinand said: “Malacia was tremendous – outstanding. He reminds me of Patrice Evra in many ways – he’s athletic, he’s a pound for pound strong kid and he’s tenacious.

“There aren’t many left-backs in world and European football in the last four or five years that have been able to come out of a game and say I kept Mo Salah quiet.

“Salah would have come off that pitch going ‘oh that was a tough competitor’, in terms of the physical duels he was on him, in terms of getting up close as soon as Salah took a touch and hitting him he was there, and whenever he did get past him – he had the pace to recover and get back.

“I thought in all elements of his game even with the ball he was so calm and composed.

“I know it’s very early days in his Manchester United career but everything has been positive so far and Luke Shaw is going to have do some to get back into this team.

“He’s [Malacia] come in at a time when confidence was at a low ebb and he’s come in and looked confident immediately, and it’s difficult to do it in a team like this.”

With Malacia seemingly in charge of the left-back berth, Shaw looks set to be on the bench when Manchester United travel to face his former club Southampton on Saturday.