Manchester United’s nightmare begin to the 2023/24 season continued on Saturday afternoon as they have been crushed 3-1 by Brighton at Previous Trafford.
The was an air of optimism at Previous Trafford earlier than kick-off as Danish ahead Rasmus Hojlund was handed his first begin for the membership, having solely made a short look from the bench towards Arsenal earlier than the worldwide break.
In the long run, it was a little bit of a nightmare full debut for Hojlund on account of the consequence and having a objective dominated out which might have modified the sport.
Manchester United really began in a optimistic method towards the Seagulls and, whereas they actually weren’t blowing Roberto De Zerbi’s facet away, they regarded extra more likely to get the opening objective.
Marcus Rashford had a shot from a decent angle saved by Jason Steele and Hojlund almost acquired on the top of a cross from the England winger, with the pair seeming to work very nicely collectively. Then Danny Welbeck’s opener arrived and Ten Hag’s facet by no means actually recovered.
Nonetheless, it appeared that they had when Rashford acquired to the byline and squeezed the ball into the field the place Hojlund was ready to regulate his physique and instinctively ship a end into the underside nook. He wheeled away in celebration, however then the VAR verify got here.
It turned out that as Rashford acquired to the byline, the ball had very barely gone out of play, denying Hojlund a primary Crimson Devils objective by means of no fault of his personal. One angle which did the rounds on social media advised the ball had not gone out of play, however one other confirmed conclusively it had simply crossed the road.
Rasmus Hojlund scores — however it’s dominated out.
Legislation 9: “The ball is out of play when: It has wholly crossed the objective line or contact line, whether or not on the bottom or within the air.”#MUNBHA | #PL pic.twitter.com/J4KbXloffF
— The Athletic | Soccer (@TheAthleticFC) September 16, 2023
There have been a few situations of the house followers booing at Previous Trafford on Saturday, primarily on the full-time whistle. The discontent was heard loudly when Hojlund, one of many few gamers in purple not having too unhealthy a recreation, was substituted. It additionally did not assist that it was Anthony Martial, a participant Man Utd followers appear very bored of watching, who changed him.
Ten Hag spoke to the press after the match in regards to the substitution and defined it was made for health causes.
“I believe it was optimistic, you see that the followers within the first second in Previous Trafford, the reception for [Hojlund] was nice, I believe he carried out very nicely,” he mentioned.
“So I believe it is good that they offer him this sign, this message. It should give him perception, Rasmus, however everybody is aware of he got here in with a small problem, we constructed him over the previous three, 4 weeks, he isn’t prepared for an entire recreation. And we’ve got many video games to play [at] quick discover, so yeah, we’ve got to construct him additionally in health.”
When Tag Hag was requested if the boos have been for Martial approaching fairly than Hojlund being introduced off, he mentioned: “I believe it was as a result of Rasmus Hojlund got here off. However I do not need to talk about that, I do not know.
“However I believe Anthony Martial each time, final yr, each time when he had a really optimistic impact on our video games. I believe even we nearly misplaced no video games with Anthony Martial on the pitch. If that is the actual fact, I do not perceive, as a result of when he’s match, he positively will contribute.”
