Tuesday, February 21, 2023 at 07:57• Mart Oude Nijeweeme • Last update: 08:04

Tyrell Malacia is happy with the competition he faces at Manchester United. The left wing defender, who came over from Feyenoord last summer, is having an excellent debut season in England and has now played 26 official games in all competitions. Malacia has a formidable competitor in the left-back position in Luke Shaw. In conversation with via play he mentions an important skill that he does not possess and the Englishman does.

Shaw has been an indispensable part of Erik ten Hag’s team in recent weeks. The 28-time English international can play at both left back and left central defender and is therefore a competitor for both Malacia and Lisandro Martínez. “There is always competition at a big club like Manchester United,” said Malacia. “You have to learn to deal with that. I think I can do that well as a person. It also makes you stronger. I played 25 (26, ed.) Games. My first season in the Premier League was not nothing.”

Malacia has fourteen games in the Premier League this season, six in the Europa League, four in the EFL Cup and two in the FA Cup. Shaw has 29 appearances in all competitions. Malacia says she learns a lot from a veteran like Shaw almost every day. “He sits next to me in the dressing room. We are very busy with each other, often have conversations with each other. When he plays centrally, we are also busy with each other. That’s good. Luke is a very good player, that I knew when I came here. I knew what to expect.”

In order to be structurally assured of a basic place, Malacia will have to continue to develop at United. He himself knows where the most profit can be made. “I’m glad the competition with Shaw is there,” Malacia emphasizes again, before sticking a feather in the ass of his biggest competitor. “I think he is very good in the last stages. I can learn from that. I can become even more decisive in the front.”