New Man United boss, Erik ten Hag, kicks off his tenure with a 2-1 loss to Brighton and Hove Albion. The former Ajax manager was appointed during the closing stage of last season but spent the remainder of the season with his former club. He arrived this summer with hefty expectations of turning the club’s poor performance over the years around. Watching their 2022/2023 Premier League debut showed that there is a new manager, but it is the same old Man United. Their performance reminded us why they have fallen down the pecking order of elite clubs in Europe, and why elite players refuse to join them this summer. Several fans and former players have already started voicing their concern over getting elite players for their new manager to help improve their squad to compete at the top level.
Scholes labels Scott McTominay and Fred as ‘criminal’ McFred
Paul Scholes labelled the performance of Scott McTominay and Fred ‘criminal’ as he stepped up the criticism of United’s midfield duo.
Fellow Red Devils’ legend Roy Keane has already blasted the pairing as not good enough following this afternoon’s 2-1 home defeat against a simply-better Brighton side.
And Scholes said: “Fred constantly giving the ball away.
“McTominay running with the ball in attack when he’s got Sancho, Rashford ahead of him.
“Should pass the ball to Eriksen. It’s criminal.”
Can we have some of the players you can’t register ? https://t.co/jGKNc8NRCi
— Gary Neville (@GNev2) August 7, 2022
Roy Keane blasts Fred & McTominay
Old Trafford legend Roy Keane went straight to the heart of United’s problem after Brighton’s well-deserved 2-1 away win.
The ex-midfield hardman singled out the two main central players new boss Erik ten Hag has inherited.
Keano told Sky Sports: “Fred and McTominay are not good enough.
“They won’t get Man Utd back competing at the top.
“We see it week in, week out.
Roy Keane believes Manchester United are “as bad as any team in the Premier League” after watching their first half horror show against Brighton.
The Ex-Man United captain told Sky Sports: “United look very, very fragile. It’s the same problems. Questions about the personality of the team and the big problem is, out of possession, they look so open.
“They started OK and had a great chance. Fernandes has to hit the target.
“But after that Brighton have been excellent and Man United, gaps everywhere and so open it’s untrue.”
FT. Boos. Brighton fully deserved their win. #mufc improved after Ronaldo came on and Eriksen went deep but they played like what they are: Europa League fodder. Ten Hag erred with the Eriksen experiment but the squad is nowhere near good enough for top four.
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) August 7, 2022
Piers Morgan blames Ron’s team-mates
Cristiano Ronaldo’s pal Piers Morgan suggests Man Utd showed why Cristiano Ronaldo wants out.
The TV presenter blasted: The problem is the rest of the squad aren’t fit to lace his boots in terms of quality, work ethic, commitment & will to win.
“That’s why he wants out, and who can blame him?”
That sparked a huge debate on social media – many agreeing with Morgan, but others pointing out that “no-one” seems to want 27-year-old legend Ronaldo.
And another fan hit out: “The McFred midfield will never win anything. Useless.”
Someone should check in on Cristiano Ronaldo ? pic.twitter.com/iNxBT28Ys6
— GOAL (@goal) August 7, 2022
Skipper Harry Maguire admits it’s the ‘worst possible start’
Skipper Harry Maguire singled out a ‘nightmare first half’ as he labeled United’s 2-1 home loss to Brighton as ‘the worst possible start.
The England center-back told Sky Sports: “We started well and on the front foot and had control of the game.
“Then we conceded the first goal and that knocked us badly. We stopped playing from then. We need to look at not letting that first goal set us back as much as it did.
“But we have to be better on the ball, we gave them encouragement to come forward and attack us. It was a nightmare start to be 2-0 down at half-time.
“It was the worst possible start to be 2-0 down at half-time at Old Trafford. Not good enough. We got a goal back, but we huffed and puffed a bit, and it’s a bad start for us.”
“We started pretty the game well and on the front foot and as a team we had control of the game. Then we conceded the first goal.”
GET IN THERE LEWIS pic.twitter.com/9BWNrGmQPi
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) August 7, 2022
The visitor’s manager hails a ‘deserved win’
Boss Graham Potter hailed Brighton’s ‘great performance and deserved win’ at Old Trafford.
Pascal Gross’ first-half double sunk United, with Alexis Mac Allister’s own goal on 68 minutes the only reply.
Potter told Sky Sports: “I thought we had an idea of how to attack and when we could, we tried to press and put them under pressure.
We were positive, brave and the boys gave everything. Our performance in the first half was really strong.
“They are going to put you under pressure (but) we had chances to attack better and make it three, but we were able to stick in there at the end. It’s a nice start for us.”
“We have got a good group, they are ambitious they are not perfect, but they give everything.”
Source: thesun.co.uk
