- Tyrell Malacia last played for Man United in the final game of the 2022-23 season.
- He has spent the last 18 months sidelined by a series of injuries and fitness issues.
- LISTEN NOW: It’s all starting!available wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes every Monday and Thursday.
Tyrell Malacia completed a 45-minute comeback for Manchester United’s under-21 team in his first appearance for the club in almost 18 months.
The 25-year-old started at left-back for Travis Binnion’s side and, under manager Jason Wilcox, emerged unscathed to boost his hopes of featuring in Ruben Amorim’s first game at Ipswich in 12 days’ time.
Malacia arrived with a big smile on her face and it is not surprising given the torment of her exhausting rehabilitation process, which has included two operations.
In a bid to celebrate Malacia’s progress, four members of United’s first-team medical team – Ibrahim Kerem, David Billingsley, Jordan Reece and Alan Watmough – traveled to Huddersfield to support the Dutchman.
He looked brilliant in the early stages, providing regular dialogue with Ethan Williams on the left wing and manager Travis Binnion.
Tyrell Malacia completed a 45-minute comeback for Manchester United’s under-21s in his first appearance for the club in almost 18 months.
The 25-year-old (No. 12) started at left back for Travis Binnion’s team on Tuesday night.
He returned to first team training in September and will join the under-21s.
Malacia showed no signs of discomfort as he moved forward at will and this next step in his development will be good news for Amorim, who will be kept informed in the coming days on how the academy team fared.
Malacia was substituted at half-time in a pre-planned change in place of Harry Amass, but with his entourage present it was a positive night and a big step forward in his development.
It has been a long road back given he has not played since playing for United in the final game of the 2022-23 season, where he lasted 90 minutes in the 2-1 win over Fulham at Old Trafford.
The left-back returned to team training in September and the club wanted to facilitate his return so as not to run the risk of his knee problem getting worse again.
Malacia’s absence has been as frustrating for him as it has for the coaches, and his long-awaited return at the start of the year was the reason Erik ten Hag cut short Sergio Reguilón’s loan deal.
Malacia arrived from Feyenoord in July 2022 on a four-year deal worth £12.9m, with the potential for a further £1.2m in add-ons.
In his first season at the club he made 39 appearances, replacing Luke Shaw, but a persistent knee problem has sidelined him since.
He initially had surgery but it didn’t go as planned and rehabilitation has been particularly difficult for the Dutchman as he had a second operation.
Malacia (#12) has not featured in United’s first team since the final game of the 2022-23 season.
“It was really hard to watch him and see the struggle he’s been through,” teammate Diogo Dalot said earlier this season of Malacia upon his return to training.
‘You can’t imagine how difficult it would be to not be able to do what you love, your job, for so long.
‘That’s why we celebrated when he came to train with us, even if it was just for the little boxes… to make sure he feels that we are ready to receive him and continue helping him, because he is going to need it.
“At the end of the day, it’s been a long time since he was injured. We’re very happy to have him. The team needs him and the club needs him, so we’re very happy.”
