Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has openly criticized three of his players following their 2-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion. The loss, which took place at Brighton’s Amex Stadium, dealt a blow to United’s early-season hopes in the Premier League.
The match started poorly for United, with Brighton taking the lead in the first half through a familiar face. Former Manchester United player Danny Welbeck struck early, putting his current side ahead. Manchester United struggled to find their rhythm throughout much of the game.
A brief moment of hope came when young talent Amad Diallo scored for United, though the goal took a fortunate deflection. However, Brighton sealed the victory in the final minutes. Joao Pedro capitalized on United’s defensive errors to score the winner, leaving the Red Devils stunned.
Adding to United’s frustrations, a goal from Alejandro Garnacho was disallowed due to an offside. His strike was ruled out after the ball hit teammate Joshua Zirkzee, who was in an offside position.
Following the defeat, Ten Hag expressed his disappointment, particularly with his defense. He pointed out specific mistakes that led to Brighton’s winning goal:
“We didn’t stop the cross… There were three players. [Adingra is a] right-footed player, send him down the line, send him wide instead of letting him come in and let the cross.”
With a match against fierce rivals Liverpool approaching, Ten Hag urged his team to improve. Manchester United will need to tighten up their defense if they hope to stay competitive this season and avoid dropping further down the table before the international break.
