ERIK TEN HAG’S era at Manchester United started with his team being booed off at half-time.
A Pascal Gross brace saw United start off their season terribly by going 2-0 down at home before the break.
Ten Hag named Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench for his first-ever game.
He opted to go with Christian Eriksen as a false nine, but the approach backfired.
United were battered 4-0 the last time they played Brighton in last season’s finale.
And the first half saw Brighton get halfway to matching that result.
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Graham Potter’s well-oiled Brighton side looked polished despite losing Yves Bissouma and Marc Cucurella over the transfer window.
Meanwhile, Ten Hag’s side looked completely lost at times, with Scott McTominay also lucky not be sent off following a challenge on Moises Caicedo.
Danny Welbeck in particular caused the United defence problems.
Welbeck’s well-timed run allowed him to get in behind the United defence and provide a low cross which Gross ran onto at the far post and tucked into the net for his first.
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United were undone again nine minutes later, when David de Gea could only push a shot into the path of the German at the far post, with the United defence asleep once again.
Manchester United improved somewhat in the second half, with Ronaldo coming off the bench and them getting a goal thanks to Alexis Mac Allister putting into his own net.
But it wasn’t enough to stop the season getting off to the worst possible start.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
