Tyrell Malacia can laugh about the time he gave new Manchester United team-mate Antony a kicking - and got punched in the face for his trouble.
It was, after all, Malacia’s uncompromising performances for Feyenoord in Dutch clasicos against Ajax that caught Erik ten Hag’s eye and prompted him to make him his first signing after swapping the Amsterdam Arena for Old Trafford in the summer.
And it’s why the £13million left-back will be one of the first names on his team-sheet when United face bitter rivals Manchester City at the Etihad on Sunday. “I know I am not the tallest player in football, but people forget I am from Zuid,” said 5ft 7ins Malacia, name-checking the tough streets in southern Rotterdam that have given him his edge.
