Manchester United fans blaming the wrong player for Brighton winner, explains Gary Neville

Manchester United fans have been blaming the wrong player for Brighton’s winning goal, explains Gary Neville.

Manchester United fell to a 2-1 defeat against Brighton in their second Premier League game of the season.

The Reds were in control for much of the first half, but Brighton took the lead late in the half through Danny Welbeck.

Erik ten Hag’s side equalised in the second half with a goal from Amad Diallo and looked like they scored a second, but it was ruled out due to an unusual offside decision involving Joshua Zirkzee.

Brighton dealt a final blow to United in the closing minutes, securing the win with a goal that raised serious questions about the visiting side’s backline.

After the Reds failed to clear the initial set-piece, they looked like a Sunday League side in the second phase of the set-piece.

There were acres of space on the left side of the box, which Brighton took full advantage of, and many supporters placed a level of blame on the player in that position on the pitch.

Diogo Dalot was playing at left-back and the defender was instead on the other side of the box pressing the man with the ball. Some were questioning why he was not on the other side.

However, many seemed to forget that United were defending the second phase of the corner, and Dalot’s initial position from the corner was on that side. He could not move back across because he was defending the second ball, which Antony failed to win.

Gary Neville described the importance of defending the second phase of the set-piece and pointed out that it was in fact Casemiro who was initially at the back post but moved out of the block too quickly. Scott McTominay was another who was initially in the space where the goal came from

“That last goal, I’ve just watched it then coming up to the gantry. When you clear from a corner, you’ve got to still defend as you’re defending the second phase of a corner,” the former United captain said.

“I think particularly if you watch Casemiro, it looks to me, I’ve only watched it once back on the replay, it looks like he leaves his position at that back post and runs back towards central midfield.

“But then it leaves an acre of space in that back zone where there are three Brighton players queuing up. Lack of concentration, lack of focus and it does put some pressure on them.”

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