Pre-season friendlies in Asia featuring Manchester United carry a very different soundtrack to trips to Old Trafford once the competitive action gets underway.
United fans were outnumbered in Bangkok last night but their goals were still met with a shrill roar of excitement and the screams of unbridled joy whenever anyone in United red did something well tells a story of how much these fans love the chance to watch their heroes.
They had plenty to cheer in the Rajamangala Stadium and the chorus of 'Glory, Glory Man United' didn't feel out of place at the end given the scoreline.
READ MORE: Ten Hag might have already fixed one problem position
Erik ten Hag tempered expectations smartly post-match and while Jurgen Klopp praised United for their performance in the 4-0 win, he rightly pointed out his side missed some excellent chances and are also a week behind their rivals in fitness terms.
Still, you can only beat what is put in front of you and in the first half especially United played with a style and a substance that was so often missing last season.
Ten Hag started with what is quite possibly his strongest team at the moment, bar probably Harry Maguire and, perhaps, Cristiano Ronaldo if he remains at the club,
New additions will change that and it will be fascinating to see how the midfield develops between now and the first kick of the ball in the Premier League on August 7.
The sight of Scott McTominay, Fred and Bruno Fernandes on the teamsheet didn't sound like the start of a revolution. That midfield has stood the test of time and was now united for a third manager, but some change is coming.
John Murtough and Richard Arnold have been in Barcelona to try and drag a deal for Frenkie de Jong over the line and Christian Eriksen is expected in Australia at some point, once his medical has been completed.
They will add competition for places. Fernandes played very well in his 45 minutes against Liverpool, playing a couple of excellent passes to release Jadon Sancho and he was much better in possession, although there was still one of those hooked, over-the-shoulder balls from a throw-in that twice played his team into trouble last season. On Tuesday he found his target.
The arrival of Eriksen will be a shrewd addition for Ten Hag and the 30-year-old offers the chance to play a 4-3-3 with two No. 8s or offer competition and cover for Fernandes as a No. 10. United lined up in that familiar 4-2-3-1 against Liverpool.
De Jong will be one of the first names on the teamsheet when he arrives and on the evidence of the first 45 minutes of pre-season, you can see him lining up next to Fred, who performed better than McTominay.
The Brazilian was one of the standout performers last season and it feels like, at 29, he is growing in stature at this club. This is the start of his fifth season at Old Trafford and he spoke to the media who had travelled on this tour at the team hotel on Sunday, projecting an air of positivity about what is to come under Ten Hag and his own time so far at United.
"It's been really important for me, a club that has both embraced and helped me a lot. I hope to continue giving back in games, I have to do my job on the pitch," he said.
"It's been an excellent four years for me, I want to continue developing more every day and I still want to win a lot of trophies with United."
In 45 minutes at Thailand's national stadium, Ten Hag will have seen the best and worst of Fred. He broke clear early in the first half but failed with what was a fairly routine through ball to Sancho. Had De Jong been in that position the pass wouldn't have missed its target and given the form Sancho was showing, he would probably have scored.
But Fred looked at home in what was a tenacious man-marking midfield set-up. His greatest strength is arguably winning the ball back and he put Liverpool under pressure, with Klopp admitting after the game this approach caused them problems.
Then there was his goal. Fred scored with his right foot in Ralf Rangnick's first game in charge too, but hopefully, that is where the similarities end. United had capitalised on some shoddy Liverpool defending but they had just about recovered, although Alisson was stranded around the penalty shout.
Fred not only saw the option to loft the ball over his fellow countryman but executed it perfectly. It was a goal that deserved the shrieks of delirium that lit up a stadium short of capacity.
Ten Hag and United have made it clear that they won't be signing a defensive midfielder this season, so the work to stop counters will come through an improved structure. Fred can play a deep role and it does feel the energy and tenacity in his game would work well alongside the more cultured De Jong.
There's certainly a risk in not signing a holding player when you look at the fact Manchester City have had success with Rodri and Liverpool with Fabinho, but Ten Hag is prioritising control in midfield and United have needed an upgrade when it comes to the precision and penetration of their passing.
De Jong will provide that and on the evidence of last night might line up alongside Fred and Fernandes in a first-choice midfield, with McTominay, Donny van de Beek and Eriksen providing competition. It sounds good on paper and having seen Ten Hag's approach in his first game in charge, there's reason to be optimistic about it on the pitch too, although tougher tests await.
READ NEXT:
