If the low points for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick last season may have come in harrowing hammerings against Liverpool, Erik ten Hag at least marked a break with the recent past on his bow as Manchester United manager. Solskjaer lost 5-0 and Rangnick 4-0 and, in the context of that, United could savour a scoreline that brought a 4-0 win, even if a pre-season friendly scarcely carries the same weight. Liverpool finished 34 points ahead of United last season, and in a game when Jurgen Klopp fielded 32 players and Ten Hag’s first-half side was a plausible starting 11 for the opening day, these were two clubs at different stages of planning.
Nevertheless, United’s first look at Ten Hag’s ideas offered some encouragement. There was a restorative element for a bright, quick front three, who looked lively in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo. Jadon Sancho scored the first unofficial goal of Ten Hag’s reign and Anthony Martial added a sleek strike that offered a reminder of his speed. Marcus Rashford was wasteful when a couple of chances presented themselves but showed his sharpness to hint at a revival after his form collapsed last season. Given the versatility of many a United forward, perhaps it was instructive that Rashford started on the left, Sancho on the right and Martial in the middle, in a role that may revert to Ronaldo.
