Erik ten Hag can reunite successful Manchester United partnership against Everton

A few weeks ago Tyrell Malacia and Jadon Sancho looked embedded down Manchester United's left-hand side, but then a few weeks is a long time in football.

For the second time in as many games Malacia was taken off at half-time in Cyprus on Thursday night and this time he was joined on the bench for the second half by Sancho.

The winger was disappointing in the derby defeat to Manchester City on Sunday and poor again on Thursday, on a night when United had enough possession to allow attacking players to make an impact.

READ MORE: How the United dressing room reacted to Ten Hag criticism

Malacia made his way into the United team as a half-time substitute, replacing Luke Shaw at Brentford and showing character in difficult circumstances, but after his struggles against City and Omonia Nicosia, his run as a starter must be coming to an end.

Shaw has looked revitalised in recent weeks, impressed on England duty last month and deserves to return. In front of him, he might be about to rekindle a particularly productive partnership for United.

Sancho's place in the side is also under threat and after Marcus Rashford's stylish 45-minute cameo from the left on Thursday, it feels a swap in that position is due.

Ten Hag explained his thinking behind the double change on Thursday night and in the performances of Shaw and Rashford, he clearly got what he was looking for.

"The width on the left side, for me, was no good [in the] first half. The movement from behind the defending line," he said. "So I hoped with Luke and Marcus we get more effect from that and so, in my opinion, that happens."

Malacia and Sancho are still a developing partnership down that flank, but they haven't combined often enough. Malacia hasn't been seen enough as