The current Manchester United star was previously warned by Slot about his causal nature on the pitch
Tyrell Malacia played under Arne Slot at Feyenoord(Image: 2021 ANP Sport)
Liverpool and Manchester United are set to reignite their rivalry on Sunday. While United wing-back Tyrell Malacia most likely won’t be involved in the clash, he is one United player that Reds boss Arne Slot previously warned for being “arrogant.”
The Dutchman knows the full-back well from their time together at Feyenoord before Slot’s switch to Liverpool and the latter’s move to Old Trafford in 2022. However, Slot had sent Malacia a grave warning about a particular aspect of his game.
While Slot praised Malacia for operating as a “driving force” he also called out his tendency to be too casual on the ball. “When we’re behind he is typically the player to try and force the issue, or to ignite a spark with a run or a tackle,” Slot told Dutch outlet Bleed Orange.
“[But] I do see him taunt opponents a bit too much.” He continued: “He almost shows too much of the ball, to get them to bite. At times, it’s too much. He looks a bit complacent, arrogant even, at times. I talk to him about that.”
Malacia played under Slot for three seasons before joining the Red Devils in July 2022 for £13million. However, the defender’s journey at United has been fraught with challenges, including a string of injuries. He spent the second half of last season on loan at PSV Eindhoven.
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While the Dutchman has returned to first-team training this season, he is yet to feature this season after falling out of favour under Ruben Amorim.
Malacia was even part of United’s notorious ‘bomb squad’, the term that was coined for a group of United stars who were exiled by Amorim at the start of pre-season. However, he failed to seek a move away from Old Trafford.
Liverpool will head into Sunday’s clash with United off the back of three defeats in a row. However, the Premier League champions will be coming up against a United team, who despite their recent woes, have won three of their last five games in the Premier League.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot spoke ahead of Liverpool’s clash with Man United on Sunday(Image: Getty)
Slot’s team beat United 3-0 away last season but struggled to a draw at Anfield in the return fixture. Yet the Dutchman is confident his team can turn a corner on Sunday at the expense of their arch rivals.
“I look forward to every single Premier League game but maybe even more towards the United one, because I know how special it is and I’ve experienced last season how special a game it is,” Slot said in a pre-match press conference.
“We know that it’s probably the game that’s been watched the most all over the world. It’s special to be part of it but in the end it’s also a game where we have to be at our best, because United, in my opinion, has had a better start of the season than maybe the league table is showing.”
Tyrell Malacia was free to leave Manchester United this summer(Image: Shaun Brooks – CameraSport, CameraSport via Getty Images)
United produced one of their better performances under Amorim at Anfield last season. The Red Devils dug out a hard-fought 2-2 draw, but squandered a number of chances to win the tie late on.
Speaking of his side’s promising showing last season, Amorim told a press conference this week: “Yeah, I remember it, we played well, it was a draw.
“I was really upset in the end of the game because we proved, on that day, that we can compete against any opponents. I know that it’s special for our club. I know that they are fighting all the time for the titles, the number of titles. I know what it means to the fans, but again, it’s one game that we need to prove again, that we are playing better”
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