Manchester United's Axel Tuanzebe: Liverpool Game Is Always a 'Must-Win'

Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe has said the Red Devils' next Premier League game against Liverpool is a "must-win."

Old Trafford will host the north-west derby on October 20 after the conclusion of the international break, and the Reds will arrive with a perfect league record of eight victories.

In contrast, United have limped their way through their opening programme, suffering three draws and three defeats in their eight league matches.

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

Speaking to MUTV (h/t Keiran Jackson for MailOnline), Tuanzebe said victory against United's traditional rivals is always expected.

"It's always a big game. Through my academy stages, Liverpool is a must-win," the 21-year-old said. "It's a brutal game. It wasn't a tippy-tappy game; no matter what age group. Obviously coming here to the first team, I expect more of the same. It will be a game where we need to grind it out and stick together and produce a result."

Tuanzebe returned to United after a successful loan spell with Aston Villa last season in which saw the club gain promotion from the EFL Championship.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo native impressed during pre-season under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and is now challenging for a regular starting spot.

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Tuanzebe was named in the starting XI on Sunday in the 1-0 Premier League defeat at Newcastle United, and he had a good game and played at both centre-back and full-back.

He told MUTV that United have hit a difficult patch as the team sits 12th in the league table, but Tuanzebe said the squad believe in the work they are doing under Solskjaer, despite recent results:

"You can see [against Newcastle] we shut them out for a long period of time.

"The only way they were able to score was a counter when we weren't really there. The goal, it is what it is: a 20-yard shot, it wasn't like they played through us or anything like that.

"We go back to the drawing board, the international break [is] now time for us to regroup. [It] gives us time to reflect and build on our game because again we're having a lot of possession but we need to have that final kind of penetration in the final third [to] give us chances to win games. 

"We believe in what we're doing, in time it will come."

PAUL ELLIS/Getty Images

Tuanzebe has been groomed for the United first team since his teenage years, and the centre-back is considered a potential leader on the pitch for Solskjaer. He was given the armband by the Norwegian for United's recent Carabao Cup win over Rochdale, despite starting with senior players Paul Pogba and Juan Mata.

Victor Lindelof began the season as the first-choice partner for Harry Maguire in defence, but a knock for the Swedish international against AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA Europa League allowed Tuanzebe to start against the Magpies.

The youngster has the tools to become an important member of the Red Devils squad, and his skill set makes him a suitable partner for Maguire this season and beyond.