I have not come here just to sit on the bench - Malacia

When Thomas Frank’s team saw Christian Eriksen playing as the holding midfielder they knew they could press him and they did just that, getting bodies around him and denying him the space to dictate the tempo.

The Dane hasn’t played the position before and isn’t used to receiving the ball so deep and with his back to goal.

Punishing running drills in intense heat might send a message to the squad, but these are tactical flaws that Ten Hag and his staff need to sort out ahead of Liverpool’s visit.

If Brighton and Brentford can take advantage of the same weaknesses, then you can be sure Jurgen Klopp and his men are certainly capable of doing so.

DEFENDER Tyrell Malacia has sent a strong message to Erik ten Hag following United’s heavy defeat to Brentford on Saturday.

The summer signing was brought on at half-time to replace Luke Shaw at the Gtech Community Stadium. When asked why he started on the bench, Malacia said: “You have to ask the trainer about that. It’s something between me and the trainer, we discuss that together.

“I’m fit. I don’t come here to sit on the bench. I always want to play, of course. When my time comes, I will definitely be there.”

When asked about the result, the full-back added: “Of course it is a difficult situation. We are building something, but it is not yet going the way we want it to go.

“There are a lot of new things, there is a new trainer. That takes time. The things we get from the trainer we try to implement. That does not always work, no. We all made a mistake (against Brentford). We are one team. We have to move on as soon as possible.”