Former Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has given his old club a key bit of advice in stopping Kevin De Bruyne.
Dutch boss Van Gaal deployed Tyrrell Malacia at centre back against Belgium during the UEFA Nations League with the goal of stopping the Manchester City playmaker, De Bruyne, in his tracks.
On the weekend, Manchester United will try do it again at the Etihad Stadium.
BET ON THE MANCHESTER DERBY WITH SPORTPESA
Holland won 1-0 and will play in the UEFA Nations League finals next season.
Van Gaal is even thinking of using Malacia as a centre back at the upcoming World Cup due to being without injured star Bruno Martins Indi.
Van Gaal, who was sacked by United in 2016, said: “I put Malacia in the left centre-back role because Martins Indi is not going to make it to the World Cup squad in time due to injury.
“I have to look at other players who can play there and I wanted to see what Malacia could do. I put him on the left of the central defence because (Kevin) De Bruyne played a lot on that side.
“It’s better to have a pitbull like that instead of someone like (Daley) Blind, who tries to solve it tactically. De Bruyne has more acceleration than Blind as well, so I put Malacia there.”
Malacia joined United from Feyenoord this summer in a £14.7m deal.
He has established himself as Erik ten Hag’s first choice left back at Old Trafford ahead of Luke Shaw.
[…] DID VAN GAAL TEACH UNITED A TRICK? […]