Manchester United defender Tyrell Malacia played in his first competitive match in 17 months when he made his return with the Under-21 side in their 4-1 loss to Huddersfield in the EFL Trophy.
The Dutch left-back who was injured in a UEFA Nations League match for Netherlands against Croatia in June 2023 has been kept out of action by a recurring Knee injury. He played the opening 45 minutes of the game before being replaced by Harry Amass for the second half.
Malacia joined the Red devils from Feyenoord for £13 million under former boss Erik Ten Hag but has seen his time at Old Trafford blighted by the knee injury which kept him out of action for over a year.
He began the 2022/23 season as back-up to first choice left-back Luke Shaw and made 39 appearances mostly as a substitute. He was unavailable for the entire 2023/24 season missing the opportunity to usurp the English international who also suffered from different fitness issues.
Manchester United have lacked cover at left-back with both players unavailable and have had to employ the services of Diogo Dalot, Lisandro Martinez, Tobby Collyher and most recently, Noussair Mazraoui at the position.
Although Malacia returned to training in September, he only joined squad training in October as United’s coaching staff has had to exercise caution with his recovery, given his extended spells on the sideline.
The 25-year old’s return is a timely boost for new manager Ruben Amorim who joined from Sporting Lisbon on November 11 as he will be looking to cement a place in what will be a ‘new-look’ Manchester United team.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
