Manchester United lost to their bogey team once again as they fell to Brighton and Hove Albion 2-1 for their first league defeat of the season.
Although the performance was an improvement on last season’s displays, teething problems remain, like United conceding late, not taking their chances, or having moments of complete defensive breakdowns.
Even accounting for a VAR call of extremely bad luck, Manchester United did enough to at least share the points, and they were well on their way to doing that before Erik ten Hag made a mistake he now knows can’t ever be repeated…
Erik ten Hag’s lesson
It was the 79th minute. Alejandro Garnacho’s ‘goal’ that never was had been ruled out due to a stroke of extreme bad luck, and the game was hanging in the balance.
It was in the 79th minute that Ten Hag did something he rarely, if ever, does, and for good reason as well.
In a double substitution, Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes came off for Matthijs de Ligt and Scott McTominay respectively.
De Ligt came on and was a composed performer on the day while McTominay’s impact off the bench is well-known by now.
However, the problem wasn’t the players who came on, it was the one man who came off- the captain and the beating heart of the team.
Fernandes has been a machine for United since his arrival and he generally gets subbed off only when United are leading comfortably (rare occasion these days).
That is because, for all the talent United might have in their ranks, the Portuguese is the one who makes the team tick, at least offensively.
It was notable that after his departure, United barely created anything and Brighton looked like the team with Champions League ambitions who needed a win.
Fernandes didn’t have a blinder of a game vs Brighton by his usual lofty standards, far from it, but it is his ability to conjure up a magical moment even when the trend is downward that sets him apart.
Fernandes’ presence is non-negotiable
There were eyebrows rolled when McTominay came on for Fernandes as even though McTominay is a threat off the bench, what makes him threat is Fernandes’ creativity.
Garnacho scored from the cross Fernandes played in and his influence on the game was growing in the second half.
It was a curious change from the manager who has, in the past, actually been guilty of overplaying the playmaker in midfield.
There is no like-for-like sub for Fernandes in this team and when you combine his intangibles, like determination and work ethic to the equation, there’s not many in world football who compare.
It has been United’s good luck that such a player is so dependable availability-wise as well and they have used that to full effect.
The game vs Brighton can now be added to the list of nightmares United have had to endure on the pitch when Fernandes wasn’t on it.
The 4-0 loss vs Crystal Palace near the end of last season still lives long in the memory.
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