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Gary Neville claims that Manchester United’s last-gasp defeat at Brighton has put ‘an awful lot of pressure’ on boss Erik ten Hag.
Despite being just two games into the new season, Neville believes pressure has now been ramped up on the Dutchman ahead of next weekend’s clash with bitter rivals Liverpool.
Manchester United recovered from a goal down, scored by ex-United striker Danny Welbeck, to level things up in the second half through Amad Diallo.
But Joao Pedro scored deep in second half stoppage time to keep Brighton top of the league through two matches.
‘A really depressing end to the game,’ Neville told NBC Sports.
Pressure is building on Man United boss Erik ten Hag after Brighton loss, claims Gary Neville
The former Manchester United defender described events as a ‘depressing end to the game’
‘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.’
Brighton have proven to be a bogey team for the Red Devils in recent years and it was a frustrating opening 45 minutes as United went in behind.
‘I think the first half of the game I don’t think anyone was surprised,’ Neville added.
‘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.’
United thought they had fired themselves ahead 2-1 when Alejandro Garnacho scored following a breakaway move, only for a VAR check to determine a touch from Zirkzee on the line meant it was ruled out for offside.
Brighton rallied from there and a calamitous piece of defending from United in the final stages cost Ten Hag’s side.
Ten Hag and his players now need to pick themselves up to face Liverpool next weekend
‘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,’ the former United defender added.
‘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.’
