Manchester United made it back-to-back Premier League wins with victory over a struggling Everton side on Saturday afternoon, with Erik ten Hag's men powering to a deserved 2-0 win following a commanding performance at Old Trafford.
That dominant showing – in which the "best team won" according to Toffees boss Sean Dyche – came despite the hosts having been without a handful of key men, with Raphael Varane having dropped to the bench, while both Casemiro and Luke Shaw were absent due to their respective suspension and injury woes.
The loss of the latter man, in particular, was ultimately not too great a blow such was the "brilliant" performance of summer signing, Tyrell Malacia at left-back, as per journalist Liam Canning, with the former Feyenoord ace proving that he is a more than capable understudy to the England international.
How did Malacia perform against Everton?
It was, initially, a tough opening for the Netherlands international yesterday, with the diminutive defender having been 'rash with his defensive decision-making and sloppy in attack', as per Manchester Evening News journalist, Samuel Luckhurst, after struggling to contain the likes of Alex Iwobi and Demarai Gray down his side.
Having also been somewhat culpable for allowing former United trialist Ellis Simms a free attempt on goal in what was a frantic and frenetic first half, the 23-year-old recovered well to produce a strong showing from then on.
The 5 foot 7 "pitbull"- as previously lauded by his former Holland boss, Louis van Gaal – was a typically tenacious and aggressive presence in his left-sided berth, having won eight of his 12 duels on the day, including winning both of his aerial duels despite his small stature.
While 'not nearly as strong going forward' as stricken teammate Shaw, as per GOAL's Richard Martin, Malacia was still able to make an impact in an attacking sense, having completed two of his three dribbles, while also registering one key pass from his 88 touches.
The £75k-per-week machine also made six passes into the final third as a marker of his willingness to spark attacks for his side, while also not neglecting his defensive duties as he recorded a solid haul of eight recoveries on the day.
That standout showing ultimately saw the eight-cap menace record a stellar match rating of 8.3, as per FotMob, with that the joint-highest of any player for either side, further showcasing just how impressively he was able to slot in for the more experienced Shaw.
Although the latter man is unlikely to be dislodged as the first-choice option at left-back any time soon after recently signing a new long-term extension, Malacia will certainly continue to push his defensive colleague in the years to come, having proven himself as Ten Hag's "Mr Reliable" once again – in the words of Statman Dave.
