GL HERO SHIMA Posted August 23, 2024 Posted August 23, 2024 Manchester United’s late 1-0 victory over Fulham in last Friday’s season opener showed concerning similarities with last year’s travails. Better were the crisp phases of passing and intelligent movement during the first half, but then came a falling away of shape, of dismal finishing – Bruno Fernandes being a chief culprit – and the reliance, again, on a moment rather than in-game domination to claim victory: the substitute Joshua Zirkzee’s deft 87th-minute finish finally beating Bernd Leno. For the young Dutchman a dream start after his £34m transfer from Bologna. For his compatriot Erik ten Hag, the contemplation of more unwanted forward line profligacy, summed up by a pithy post-match demand that his charges “kill in the box”, and the hope that at Brighton in Saturday’s 12.30pm kick-off the team will finally click and show they can be a formidable unit this campaign. The trip to the south coast is a test. Fabian Hürzeler’s men are coming off the 3-0 hammering of Everton at Goodison Park – the very best of beginnings for the Seagulls under a new manager who does not turn 32 until February. Ineos’s first summer market at United has yielded Zirkzee, two centre-backs in Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro plus a full-back in Noussair Mazraoui. Starting in the right-hand defensive berth on debut Mazraoui appeared accomplished, though he needs to eradicate the odd loose pass to the opposition that could be costly on other days. As an 81st-minute substitute against Fulham, De Ligt had constricted time to show anything revelatory about his worth so Saturday’s teams heet will be intriguing in regards to discovering if Ten Hag has found the 25-year-old a place in his starting XI, which would almost definitely mean dropping Harry Maguire, who after the win against Fulham insisted he feels fit. “Physically and mentally, I’m in a good place. I’m looking forward to a big season,” said the 31-year-old, who was an eye-catching package of aggression, leadership and decisive interventions on the opening night. The suspicion remains that Maguire will be the fall-guy for De Ligt, and if not at Brighton, then soon. But his value to Ten Hag has increased after Yoro was ruled out for three months. Maguire is one-paced and can be error-prone but his attitude is inarguable, as shown by his fight to again be a factor after his bombing out of the side by Ten Hag two seasons ago. https://www.theguardian.com/football/article/2024/aug/23/erik-ten-hag-manchester-united-brighton-football-premier-league
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