In this round of the Premier League, Manchester United were hit with a last-minute goal by Brighton. The UK’s ‘Daily Mail’ commented: Remember how, when Manchester United drew in the late stages of a game, Ferguson would look at his watch and you knew what was coming next? Manchester United would win. Today, it’s still like that, you still know what’s coming next, just in the opposite direction. But we shouldn’t be surprised, it’s become a Manchester United habit, and even more so against Brighton. Manchester United have lost against the Seagulls more than any other team in the Premier League.
Manchester United spent €70 million on Mazraoui and De Ligt in the summer of 2024, aiming to strengthen their defence. However, the team still failed to solve their defensive problems at the start of the season, particularly in the last minutes, with more conceded goals.
According to statistics, Manchester United have conceded the most goals in the last minute of Premier League games since the 2022/23 season, with 6, more than any other team. In the previous 30 seasons, Manchester United had only lost in this way twice.
Against Brighton, Manchester United did not show sufficient defensive strength. Manager Erik ten Hag adopted a conservative tactic too early in the game, replacing the attacking midfielder Bruno Fernandes with McTominay and bringing on De Ligt for Maguire. In a game that required quick reactions and precise handling, ten Hag should have considered replacing Casemiro instead of Bruno Fernandes.
In Brighton’s goal, the Manchester United defenders were too relaxed in their defence, not sufficiently alert to the opponent’s attack. Manchester United need to strengthen their players’ concentration in the final stages of the game and improve their defensive awareness to avoid similar defensive weaknesses. If Manchester United want to return to their peak, they must solve their defensive problems, otherwise it will be difficult to achieve their team goals.
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