Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Steven Railston

Erik ten Hag has been proven right after U-turn with important Manchester United position

Liz Truss was prime minister for just 44 days, making her the shortest-serving Prime Minister in the United Kingdom's history. It was a disastrous premiership in which many embarrassing U-turns were made, just like when her predecessor was in office.

In 2016, Truss campaigned to stop Britain from leaving the European Union and six years later she had become a hardcore Brexiteer, so it shouldn't have been a surprise when she made multiple high-profile, reputation-eroding U-turns during her time as PM.

Although the British public can be forgiving, U-turns in parliament are viewed by most as a sign of weakness, incompetence and an indicator that decisions were poorly made, but yet in football, they actually happen frequently and are welcomed.

ALSO READ: Man United's Zidane Iqbal is responding to brutal training message

That's because a manager's decisions, like Erik ten Hag's at Manchester United, don't affect millions of people's livelihoods, whereas it's also players that are responsible for changing a manager's mind, which is different to a PM changing their policy due to intense public backlash. Politics and football are two volatile industries, yes, but Ten Hag has already outlasted Truss, who was less convincing than a lettuce.

Ten Hag's manifesto prioritised first-team investment in the summer and he signed six players, Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen, Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro, Antony and Martin Dubravka, and four of those new arrivals have become regular starters.

Eriksen, Martinez, Casemiro and Antony have been outstanding additions, immediately improving the first-team in positions that needed to be addressed, and the only other permanent signing Malacia has given Luke Shaw competition at left-back.

Shaw started against Brighton and Brentford at the start of the season and United lost both of those matches. Malacia came into the starting line up after the Brentford debacle and United defeated Liverpool, Southampton, Leicester and Arsenal.

Malacia was impressive in those four consecutive victories in the Premier League and it seemed like he'd already claimed the starting left-back position, which wasn't expected to happen so soon after his £12.9million move from Feyenoord.

The Dutch defender had given Shaw a headache - until he played Manchester City in October. Malacia was bullied by a diminutive Phil Foden at the Etihad and he was hooked at half-time with Pep Guardiola's side 4-0 ahead after just 45 minutes of football.

United were eventually defeated 6-3 in the first Manchester derby of the season and it was a lifeless performance, which was made to look 'better' by two late and meaningless goals from Anthony Martial when the result was beyond doubt.

Shaw replaced Malacia at half-time and he dealt with Foden well in comparison, but Ten Hag bravely stuck by the 22-year-old for United's next match against Omonia in the Europa League, which was inadvisable, given his woeful derby display.

Cypriot minnows Omonia were leading 1-0 by half-time in that encounter and Malacia was hooked yet again at the break, which was a clear admission from Ten Hag that he had got his selection wrong and that Shaw should have started the match.

Again, Shaw was capable when he replaced Malacia and he's started every game in the Premier League since, with Ten Hag making a U-turn on his left-back pecking order. Shaw has certainly deserved to start, he's the more accomplished left-back at this stage and he's provided more quality to the Reds' attacks since regaining his starting role, which has been welcomed by Ten Hag.

Shaw has continued that form into the World Cup with England while Malacia has not played a single minute for the Netherlands. Malacia has the talent to be an asset in the future but it's obvious that Shaw is currently the better left-back option.

The England international's all-round game is better polished and only Lionel Messi (34) has completed more progressive passes than him (28) at the World Cup in Qatar, which highlights the level of performance he's delivering at the tournament.

Shaw has been forced to fight for his starting position at Old Trafford and that's how it should be.

The competition at left-back is getting the best out of him again.

READ NEXT:

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.