Manchester United’s 2-1 defeat by Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday afternoon descended into the latest example of Erik ten Hag attempting to strengthen his hand in the duration and weakening it instead.
Not for the first time, the Dutchman’s in-game tactics have come into question.
There was the continued inclusion of Harry Maguire – failing to deal with the cross that led to Brighton’s first goal – over £38 million summer signing Matthijs de Ligt.
The half-time withdrawal of Mason Mount, so impressive with his off-the-ball work and integral to Manchester United’s high pressing. It is no coincidence that Brighton wrestled their way into the ascendancy following Mount’s removal, albeit Ten Hag put that down to an injury post-match.
And then, to top it all off, the late exit of captain and talisman Bruno Fernandes, not to mention Antony’s arrival into proceedings.
For Man United legend Rio Ferdinand, however, it was a decision Ten Hag made even before the game kicked off at The Amex which also warrants some scrutiny.
After those sparkling cameos against Manchester City and Fulham – scoring in the former and assisting in the latter while earning the admiration of legendary winger Ryan Giggs – Ferdinand was understandably a little surprised to see Alejandro Garnacho begun amongst the substitutes once again.
Alejandro Garnacho on bench as Manchester United lose
“I look at him and think ‘how is he not starting’,” the 2008 Champions League winner told TNT Sports. “I think he has been our best player. Our most explosive player.
“And as an opposition (player) you think ‘Wow, I don’t want him (on the pitch)’.”
Ten Hag realistically would have had to drop either Amad Diallo or Marcus Rashford to bring Garnacho into his starting XI.
And after the latter struggled again against Fabian Hurzeler’s side, failing to influence proceedings while Amad struck a second-half leveller, Ten Hag may have a very big decision to make indeed when Man United host Liverpool at Old Trafford next weekend.
Garnacho, of course, was only inches away from scoring another decisive strike. Only the harshest and most remarkably unfortunate of offside calls – his goalbound effort knocked over the line by the sprawling Joshua Zirkzee – denied the Argentine another crucial effort to add to his growing collection as a Man United player.
Argentine denied Brighton winner by VAR
Ten Hag may feel vindicated in the fact that, for the third game running, Garnacho made a big impact off the bench. But surely that can only go on for so long before the clamour for him to start becomes deafening.
“Show ot every day on the training pitch and, of course, in every minute you can get,” Ten Hag told the Man United website on Friday when asked what Garnacho had to do to get into his XI.
“That is not only about the starters, but also the finishers. I was very pleased last week with the two players who came on – Zirkzee and Garnacho – making a difference.
“That is what we need throughout the whole season, as we know we do not win with just 11 players in games and in between games. You need more than 11 players to win the football games.
“World-class is something where he has to go a long way (to achieve that tag). He has a high potential, 100 per cent. Last season he contributed, and he can be a starting XI player.”
“To make that jump to being a world-class player, he has a long way to go. It starts with hard work. That has brought him to where he is now and that will bring him to being a world-class player because I agree he has the potential.”
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