CUE survey No. 1 in Manchester United’s season. You get the feeling it won’t be the last.
It seemed inevitable when Joao Pedro headed home in the 95th minute to continue Brighton’s perfect start to the season.
Hope is eternal at this point in the season. Fans believe that things can be different; that their team’s mistakes have been righted and ironed out.
For United it seems to be a case of the same old story.
After Brighton had taken an unconventional first-half lead through former United striker Danny Welbeck, Ten Hag’s side inexplicably squandered it all in the dying seconds with some of the most appalling defending you’ll see this weekend.
Joao Pedro scored the 95th winning goal to see Brighton secure a 2-1 victory over Manchester United
Pedro headed in a cross to ensure a perfect start to the season for the Seagulls
Manchester United players will feel disappointed after two offside whistles
It’s all a familiar feeling for United. That sinking feeling. The optimism that was built up after last week’s opening day win over Fulham has disappeared in a flash.
But even then, Joshua Zirkzee managed to cover up the weaknesses of his display against Marco Silva’s team with his winning goal.
The cracks have been exposed this weekend. That should worry Ten Hag.
Still, the Dutchman will probably look back positively on his team’s performance in the first half.
That would be believable, United were unlucky to be in the lead at half-time.
When Ten Hag ran towards the tunnel at half-time, he probably had trouble finding the right words.
His team were good and unlucky to be behind. Winger Amad Diallo was dangerous, Casemiro looked weak, Bruno Fernandes – in a false nine role – caused problems, as did Marcus Rashford on the left.
The only thing that was really missing was the finishing touch.
Manchester United caused the Seagulls problems, the only thing missing was the finishing touch
Diallo’s biggest blunder came in the 10th minute when he missed a golden opportunity at the far post after a lovely cross from Diogo Dalot from the left.
Casemiro headed over, but a dreadful pass from Diallo to Rashford ruined a promising three-on-two attack on the half hour mark.
What followed two minutes later was a huge frustration for Ten Hag.
It was Welbeck who fired the ball in at the far post after a pass from Kaoru Mitoma.
But it was Joao Pedro’s dangerous cross from the right, coupled with Harry Maguire’s astonishing decision not to at least do something about it, that doomed United.
And despite United’s supremacy, Brighton’s lead was not an overall injustice.
Former Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck broke the deadlock in the first half
Rises above Harry Maguire and Co and scores a well-placed header against Onana
Well organised and drilled to perfection, the first impressions of their new boss Fabian Hurzeler are encouraging.
Last week’s comfortable win at Everton and now this. They have a knack for finding coaching gems in these parts.
Maybe they did that here with Hurzeler too.
But credit to United, they remained in control. Rashford bundled the ball over the line in the 34th minute from Diallo’s cross, but the effort was marginally ruled out for offside by VAR before Jason Steele saved Mason Mount’s effort from the edge of the box.
That was Mount’s last significant contribution to the match, as Ten Hag replaced him at half-time with Zirkzee.
Mount may not agree, but it was a necessary change. United lacked a focal point in attack, the Dutchman – at 1.93m – certainly offered that to United.
But the change unsettled United, with James Milner wasting two good chances, the second of which was particularly guild-edited and required Dalot to clear the line.
United came out of the blocks as the slower team after the break after the change had thrown them off their rhythm
Welbeck was the next to spoil the fun, heading the ball straight to Andre Onana after a cross from Yankuba Minteh.
United’s fluidity had somehow evaporated. Brighton were suddenly on the rise.
Welbeck then headed a high header from Milner onto the bar, leaving United in trouble.
So, based on how the first half went, you could predict what would happen.
United’s equaliser came on the hour mark, with Diallo, picking up a pass from Noussair Mazraoui, cutting down the right and cutting past Jack Hinshelwood before firing the ball past Steele.
The goal was largely down to a deflection from Jan Paul van Hecke, but it would be cruel to take this goal away from the United youngster after a traumatic 24 hours.
Diallo continued to insist he wanted to play here at Amex, despite telling him his stepmother had passed away earlier that week.
22-year-old Amad Diallo brought the Red Devils back on level terms in the 60th minute
Ten Hag would have been grateful that his young winger showed such determination. It is a pity that his team-mates could not show the same kind of courage in the final phase.
Rashford was replaced by Alejandro Garnacho shortly after the goal, with Ten Hag going in for the kill.
It almost proved a masterstroke, with Diallo again proving a threat on the right before playing a wonderfully timed pass into Fernandes’ path.
United’s captain found Garnacho at the far post as the Argentine looked to put the visitors ahead.
But the substitute’s effort was barely touched by Zirkzee on the line as the Netherlands star player glided towards goal.
If the ball hadn’t hit Zirkzee, the goal would have stood on a VAR call. It was brutal for United, as was the highlight of the game.
Erik Ten Hags’ men were unlucky not to take the lead after Garnacho’s shot was ruled out for offside after the substitute’s effort was slightly touched by Zirkzee, who was in an offside position
United have only themselves to blame. Their failure to clear a corner eventually saw the excellent Billy Gilmour recycle the ball on the edge of the box with a clever pass to Simon Adingra.
The winger’s cross was beautiful. In contrast, United’s marking was abominable.
Pedro seized the chance with a powerful header at the far post as the Amex exploded.
You would think that Ten Hag would also explode, but for very different reasons.