Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag attributed his team’s 2-1 loss to Brighton on Saturday to defensive lapses, especially after Joao Pedro’s late header secured the victory.
United had equalized through Amad Diallo’s deflected shot in response to Danny Welbeck’s opening goal for Brighton, before Pedro’s decisive goal.
Brighton’s victory marked a successful home Premier League debut for their 31-year-old manager Fabian Hurzeler, as Pedro capitalized on defensive vulnerabilities within United’s lineup.
Despite United’s defensive reinforcements in the transfer window with the additions of Noussair Mazraoui, Matthijs de Ligt, and Leny Yoro, their defensive organization was lacking.
De Ligt was among those culpable for Brighton’s winning goal, where defensive misjudgments allowed Pedro to score comfortably.
Ten Hag stated, “If you protect the goal like we do then you drop points. We concede two soft goals where we should act better as a team. We have to be alive in such moments.”
The defeat intensifies the scrutiny on Ten Hag, with Liverpool scheduled to visit Old Trafford in the upcoming weekend.
Despite surviving a review last season, the former Ajax manager’s position is under scrutiny following a subpar start to the new campaign for Manchester United.
Brighton’s recent performances indicate their potential to challenge for European football qualification, following a convincing 3-0 victory over Everton and the triumph against Manchester United.
“Winning in the dying moments is always emotional,” expressed Hurzeler. “The players’ belief in each other and their attitude were crucial factors in our success.”
Brighton’s early lead saw Welbeck scoring his 100th career goal after Harry Maguire failed to intercept a cross from Kaoru Mitoma.
United faced challenges as well, with Marcus Rashford’s disallowed goal denying them an equalizer. Despite some promising attacking moments, Brighton secured the victory with Pedro’s header.
The match highlighted United’s defensive fragility and the need for improvement as they continue their campaign under scrutiny.