3 Things Erik ten Hag Got Badly Wrong in Brighton 2-1 Man Utd

Manchester United fell to their first defeat of the season on Saturday afternoon as Brighton and Hove Albion found a late winner through Joao Pedro to condemn the Red Devils to a 2-1 blow. Although Erik Ten Hag was spared blushes on the opening day when they found a narrow victory over Fulham, a similar unremarkable performance was punished this time around.

It was another sluggish showing from United who, despite a busy summer period on and off the pitch, have failed to look convincing in their first two fixtures of a so-called new era under INEOS. Danny Welbeck came back to haunt his former club with the opener, but while Amad Diallo breathed hope into a comeback when his deflected effort was steered on the hour-mark, a 97th-minute winner meant things went from bad to worse for United after an unusual offside call ruled out Joshua Zirkzee earlier in the afternoon.

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Most worryingly for Ten Hag, though, is that the jury is still out on him after last season’s calamity, and a hesitant start to the 2024/25 Premier League campaign only heaps further pressure on him as he operates under the burden of his third and final warning placed on him by a far less lenient hierarchy. As was the case so many times last term, the Dutchman can’t blame anyone but himself as the 54-year-old got plenty wrong.

Not Starting a Recognised Striker

Joshua Zirkzee’s arrival was too little too late

Last week, Joshua Zirkzee was the hero against Fulham, and given the fact United are without Rasmus Hojlund through injury, it looked nailed on that he would start this time out. But Ten Hag’s decision to start without a recognised striker came back to haunt him.

Instead, it was Bruno Fernandes who got the nod upfront, and his substitution came somewhat as an admission of defeat for his manager, as Zirkzee’s half-time introduction indicated just what the Red Devils were missing out on when they struggled for clear-cut opportunities up until the 73rd-minute mark.

Despite playing fewer minutes than his Portuguese teammate, the former Bologna forward was able to notch an expected goal statistic of 0.67, which is comparatively superior to Fernandes’ 0.12. From 11 shots, United only found the target four times, but a natural striker could have evened this poor ratio out. Ten Hag can only blame himself for attacking profligacy, as rule number one in picking a lineup should be centred around how to score goals, and leaving strikers on the bench goes against just this.

Taking Off Amad Diallo

The Ivorian was his side’s most positive forward

With seven minutes added on at the end of the match, Ten Hag should have kept his best players on, especially when the swing of the game was in United’s favour.

As the only goalscorer for the Red Devils, Amad Diallo was the brightest attacking spark for his side, but an 89th-minute substitution removed the wind out of Man United’s sails, while defensive options remained on the pitch. The Ivorian international’s movement off the ball was one key positive from his side’s perspective, and his ability to dance beyond opposition players and have an eye for goal was the primary reason the Red Devils had any chance at completing a comeback in the first place.

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When key players, such as Hojlund, return to selection, it’ll be interesting to see where Diallo stands and whether he will remain a starter under Ten Hag. But after a positive pre-season campaign, patience should be a virtue, and you could see what his goal meant to him as he grabbed at the badge. These are the types of attitudes his club are in desperate need of.

Starting Maguire Over De Ligt

Ten Hag is hesitant to start his new players

So far, Noussair Mazroui is the only new signing to start under Ten Hag after two games. Yet, considering how much time and money the club spent trying to bring Bayern Munich defender, Matthijs De Ligt, in, then perhaps his introduction should have already been made.

There is a notable lack of urgency with Ten Hag to start his new players. But with so many under-performers last season, United fans could be miffed as to why this is the case. £42m is a lot of money for a benchwarmer, especially since Harry Maguire’s poor form is so well-documented.

As the Dutchman faces more questions than answers early into the new campaign, a busy summer transfer window should have been his first point of call for turning things around and saving him from the sack. With a visit from Liverpool next on the agenda, the decision over what his best starting lineup is still looms worryingly large.