Gary Neville believes Manchester United's late collapse against Brighton has put "an awful lot of pressure" on Erik ten Hag.
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United were beaten 2-1 by BrightonJoao Pedro's late winner stunned the Red DevilsNeville slammed Ten Hag for lacklustre first-halfWHAT HAPPENED?
United's hopes of securing at least a point were dashed in the dying moments of the match, as Brighton's Joao Pedro netted a late winner deep into stoppage time. The goal came after United had managed to level the score in the second half through Amad Diallo, who cancelled out an earlier strike by former United player Danny Welbeck.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT NEVILLE SAID
Neville, in his post-match analysis for , did not hold back in his assessment of United's performance. “A really depressing end to the game,” he remarked. “I thought a draw would have been half acceptable, but to lose the game puts an awful lot of pressure on Erik ten Hag and on towards the game next week against Liverpool.”
Reflecting on the first half, Neville pointed out United's struggles without a recognised centre-forward and highlighted Ten Hag's tactical misstep that potentially cost United valuable time and momentum in the game.
"I think the first half of the game, I don't think anyone was surprised,” Neville observed. “It's very difficult to play football without a centre-forward. You need a focal point up front, and he corrected that at half-time by bringing [Joshua] Zirkzee on, but you've already wasted 45 minutes in the match, and that's a problem.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Neville also hit out at United's defending in the lead-up to Brighton's winning goal as Pedro was left completed unmarked in the far post.
"In the second half, and the first goal was poor defensively, but that last goal I've just watched it, when you clear from a corner you've got to still defend as you would the second phase of a corner," Neville observed.
"In particular if you watch Casemiro it looks to me like he leaves his position at the back post and goes back into central midfield but it then leaves acres of space in the back zone. A lack of concentration, a lack of focus, and it does put some pressure on them."
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR UNITED?
As United prepare to face Liverpool, Neville’s words serve as a stark reminder of the challenges ahead for Ten Hag and his squad. The upcoming fixture against their historic rivals could prove pivotal in determining the direction of United's season. With expectations high and pressure mounting, Ten Hag will need to address the issues that have plagued his team in the early stages of the campaign if they are to bounce back and secure a positive result at Old Trafford on September 1.
