"It was positive" - Ten Hag reacts to Manchester United fans booing at decision to sub Rasmus Hojlund off against Brighton
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has viewed the crowd's discontent over Rasmus Hojlund's substitution against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday (September 16) as a favorable indicator.
During their 3-1 loss against Brighton at Old Trafford, the home fans vocally opposed the decision to replace Hojlund, who was making his full debut, with Anthony Martial. The substitution came at a moment when United were already trailing by two goals, in the 64th minute of the game.
Despite a lackluster track record over the past three years, featuring only 17 goals, Martial was the designated replacement. His latest appearance proved futile once more, as he failed to score in his fourth game this season.
On the other hand, Hojlund came close to making a significant impact on the game, only for his goal to be disallowed right before halftime. Marcus Rashford had carried the ball across the goal line during the buildup, leading to the goal's cancellation.
Meanwhile, Hojlund's substitution had been premeditated, following his recent move from Atalanta, where he had suffered a stress fracture in his back. In response to the boos, Ten Hag explained (via Manchester Evening News):
"I think it was positive. You see the fans in the first moment in Old Trafford, the reception for him was great, I think he performed very well, it's good they give this signal, this message, it will give Rasmus belief."
He added:
"But everyone knows he came in with a small issue, we built him over the last three or four weeks. He is not ready for a whole game and we have many games to play at short notice, so we have to build the fitness."
When probed further about whether the magnitude of the displeasure was influenced by Martial replacing Hojlund, the Manchester United manager offered a brief answer:
"I think it was because Rasmus Hojlund came off but I don't want to discuss that, so I don't know."
After Hojlund's substitution, Manchester United conceded another goal before Hannibal Mejbri got one back for them.
Ten Hag criticizes Manchester United players for abandoning new tactical approach in home loss to Brighton
Erik ten Hag appeared to express disappointment in his squad for deviating from a newly implemented gameplan during their defeat against Brighton. This loss marks Manchester United's third in their past five Premier League games, prolonging a distressing commencement to their season.
Following the loss, which saw their opponents impress in every area of the pitch, Ten Hag claims his players diverged from the strategic blueprint. In a post-match interview on MUTV (via Mirror), he said:
"Absolutely [the system worked]. The first 20 minutes were very good. We have to stick to the plan [despite the goal] because it worked well. We had quite a few chances."
Manchester United's defense was notably porous, as they let three goals in. Their attack lacked the necessary bite, as Hannibal Mejbri came on as a substitute to score their sole goal from distance. The Red Devils will be looking to display greater tactical discipline if they hope to turn their season around in the coming weeks.