Fighting talk from Ten Hag, but United lurch further into crisis

Brighton defeat comes during another tempestuous period in the club’s very public descent into dysfunction.

Sun, 17 Sep, 2023 - 22:30

Ian Whitell, Old Trafford

ERIK ten Hag was positively Churchillian in his declaration that “we will turn it” when it comes to Manchester United’s flagging fortunes.

But the preceding 90-plus minutes, and a third league defeat already in this new campaign, suggested otherwise; as did the reaction of supporters who, for the first time in the Dutchman’s 13-month reign, widely disapproved of one of his decisions.

The boos that greeted Ten Hag’s substitution of debutant Rasmus Hojlund for perennial under-achiever Anthony Martial after an hour, met with universal dissent from the Old Trafford crowd.

The response that followed the final whistle, and a fourth consecutive league defeat to Brighton in the past 16 months, was slightly less vocal but, nonetheless, unmistakable.

“It is difficult to deal with it but you have to do it,” said Ten Hag. “As I've said, stick to the plan, stick to the rules. You have to believe, you have to fight as a team and we will turn it.”

Fighting talk although, if actions speak louder than words, there was precious little evidence of the former from ten Hag’s players at the end of another tempestuous period in the club’s very public descent into dysfunction.

Since defeat at Arsenal less than two weeks ago, Antony has been placed on leave, following allegations about his private life, and Jadon Sancho forced to train on his own away from the first team after his public criticism of his manager.

All this, of course, hot on the tail of United’s chronic mishandling of the Mason Greenwood affair after their former striker was told to pursue his career away from Old Trafford.

It must almost have made United supporters long for the early days of ten Hag’s reign, 12 months ago, when Greenwood was in stasis and the only public personnel problem came from the pouting and preening Cristiano Ronaldo, who was soon jettisoned by the manager.

Indeed, after two poor opening displays - including a home loss to Brighton - United ended up with nine points from their opening five games last season; three more than they possess this morning.

On Friday, the straight-talking Dutchman spoke freely of the “no good culture” he inherited when he took over from Ralf Rangnick in the summer of 2022, but every passing week begs the question of how much the manager - renowned as a disciplinarian - has improved that culture since.

And on the field, the highpoints of last season, which ultimately ended in a third-place finish, seem a very distant memory.

There were glimpses of hope as Brighton ruthlessly picked United apart: a promising debut from Hojlund, some exciting early attacks inspired by Marcus Rashford, a brilliant shot for youngster Hannibal Mejbri to claim a first-ever United goal.

But “glimpses” are not enough for a team with aspirations to, at least, challenge for a top-four finish. An under-strength Brighton cut through United far too easily, far too often, with goals from Danny Welbeck, Pascal Gross and Joao Pedro all coming from players practically unmarked in the United area.

“I think we had enough chances to come back from behind, we just didn’t take them,” said Christian Eriksen, somewhat optimistically.

“It has been like the story of the season so far. I think if we change that, a lot of the games would be a lot easier to play.”

It was the sort of complaint all too common throughout last season when it required the best year of Rashford’s life - 30 goals’ worth - to help turn some strong performances, and multiple chances, into end product.

Rashford has scored just once in five games this season, which places abundant pressure and focus on the 20-year-old Hojlund who, United can only hope, is the answer to that lack of a natural goalscorer.

Wednesday, of course, brings United face to face with the man who was, at one point, favourite to fill that role - Harry Kane, now starring for Bayern Munich, who offer ten Hag his first opponents in the Champions League as manager of the Reds.

The failure to land Kane is yet another example of United’s extraordinarily inept transfer policy, one which has seen ten Hag spend £387 million in two summer windows and lose, for the third time in as many league games, to a Brighton starting XI assembled for £17 million.

“I think we lost our two best players in my opinion in the summer,” said Brighton keeper Jason Steele of the sales of Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo.

“But whoever comes into the team is coming into a culture that’s formed; it’s been formed for a while. It’s a culture that’s the best I’ve ever experienced in my life.

“And I think we - I say ‘we’ as a group - really handle it cleverly. We bring in James Milner, and we bring in Carlos Baleba and Mo Dahoud.

“The young lads have no option when they join us but to come with us and to join in with the way we behave, the way we train and the way we listen to the boss and take on instruction and work hard every single day.”

The contrast with the problems currently being experienced by Ten Hag and his club could not be greater.

MAN UNITED (4-1-2-1-2): Onana 5; Dalot 4, Lindelof 4, Martinez 5 (Wan-Bissaka 85), Reguilon 6 (Garnacho 84); Casemiro 5 (Mejbri 64, 7); McTominay 6 (Pellistri 85), Eriksen 5; Fernandes 6; Hjolund 8 (Martial 64, 6), Rashford 6.

Subs not used: Bayindir, Maguire, Evans, Gore.

BRIGHTON (4-2-3-1): Steele 6; Veltman 6, van Hecke 6, Dunk 7, Lamptey 8 (Milner 76, 6); Gross 7, Dahoud 7 (Gilmour 76, 6); Adingra 6 (Ferguson 84), Lallana 7 (Fati 64, 7), Mitoma 9; Welbeck 7 (Pedro 64, 7).

Subs not used: Verbruggen, Julio, Webster, Baleba.

Referee: J Gillett 7