Rio Ferdinand reckons Erik ten Hag made a mistake in taking Harry Maguire off for Matthijs de Ligt against Brighton, claiming the decision proved costly as Manchester United lost the game in stoppage time.
Danny Welbeck gave Brighton the lead in the first half after some ropey United defending and Ten Hag s side were again lax at the back as Joao Pedro was found unmarked at the back post by Simon Adingra in the 95th minute .
Amad Diallo had drawn United level on the break and Alejandro Garnacho thought he had given his side the lead having turned Bruno Fernandes cross towards goal, only to be denied by his own player as Joshua Zirkzee inadvertently deflected the Argentinian s shot in from an offside position.
United s defence came under scrutiny at the end of the game and although social media was awash with blame for Maguire for the hosts opening goal, Ferdinand reckons the England international may well have prevented Brighton s winner had he not been taken off midway through the second half.
‘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.
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Ten Hag claimed three of his players were to blame for Brighton s late winner.
