Rio Ferdinand pinpoints Erik ten Hag mistake that cost Man Utd in Brighton defeat

Rio Ferdinand pinpointed the one mistake Erik ten Hag made which he believes cost Manchester United as they fell to a late defeat against Brighton.

Former United striker Danny Welbeck put the hosts ahead but Ten Hag’s side found a second-half equaliser through Amad Diallo’s deflected effort.

United thought they had won the game when Alejandro Garnacho slotted home Bruno Fernandes’ cross but the goal was unusually ruled out after it clipped Joshua Zirkzee’s knee on the goalline.

And there was late misery for the Red Devils when Joao Pedro nodded home a dramatic late winner past Andre Onana to extend Ten Hag’s miserable Premier League record against Brighton

Having left Joao Pedro completely unmarked at the back post to score the winner, United’s defence came under at full-time, with Ferdinand citing the decision to bring off Harry Maguire midway through the second half as a key mistake that may have cost them a point.

‘I thought Harry Maguire grew into the game and played very well. I thought he was the best defender, or at least the best centre-back, for Man United today,’ he said on TNT Sports.

‘I was a bit surprised when he was brought off actually. If he was still on the pitch maybe he would have been the one leading and vocalising for that second set piece.

‘When centre-backs are taking off during the game and it’s not injury-related it does baffle you a bit. It didn’t happen in our era. At the end of the day, he’s got a lot of players he needs to keep happy.

‘[Matthijs] De Ligt is in there and he looked comfortable when he came on. I wouldn’t say Maguire had a bad game, he was very solid for most parts of that game.’

‌Fellow pundit Joe Cole was equally critical of the Dutchman’s decision to withdraw Maguire.

‘That second goal was crying out for his leadership, that’s what he does, deal with the cross in the box,’ he said.

‘I understand wanting to get De Ligt on the pitch and to get him up to speed but that becomes secondary at that point. If you want to bring him on, make it a back five.

‘We’re clever after the event but I genuinely think if Maguire is on the pitch, United are more organised and they deal with it.’

Ten Hag, meanwhile, chose to pin the blame on three United players – Diogo Dalot, Kobbie Mainoo and Noussair Mazraoui – who failed to stop Simon Adingra’s cross to set up Joao Pedro’s header.

‘We didn’t stop the cross,’ the United boss said. ‘There were three players. [Adingra is a] right-footed player, send him down the line, send him wide instead of letting him come in and let the cross.

‘We have, of course, to talk about this.’

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