17 September 2023 , 23:33
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Erik ten Hag has praised the performances of Hannibal Mejbri, Diogo Dalot, Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund in Manchester United's defeat to Brighton.
The Red Devils were played off the park by the Seagulls, to leave them 13th in the Premier League table after three defeats in their opening five games. Saturday's match was all but done within 70 minutes, with Brighton going 3-0 up over their hosts.
Goals from Danny Welbeck, Pascal Gross and Joao Pedro secured all three points for the visitors and leave United embarrassed. Mejbri did come on to score with 17 minutes left, but the Red Devils were unable to overturn the remaining two-goal deficit.
It was an impressive strike from the academy product, firing in from outside the box. And his cameo at Old Trafford pleased Ten Hag on a difficult day, with the Dutchman also highlighting the performances of the other trio.
"He did what we brought him [on] for, having an impact and bringing energy. He did it," Ten Hag said of Mejbri. "I think there were more individuals, like Diogo Dalot, [who] played very well, and Marcus Rashford had moments.
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"Rasmus Hojlund was a threat all the time. We had some good players on the pitch. We were unlucky, unfortunate. We didn't get what we were looking for and that was the result."
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Erik ten Hag hailed the performance of Hannibal Mejbri, who came off the bench to score against Brighton (OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)Ten Hag surprisingly opted to substitute Hojlund just after the hour mark, on what was the Dane's full debut for United. That decision was met by boos from the home crowd, with Anthony Martial coming on, though Ten Hag was not concerned by that reaction.
“I think it was positive, you see that the fans in the first moment in Old Trafford, the reception for him was great, I think he performed very well. So I think it’s good that they give him this signal, this message," he said.
"It will give him belief, Rasmus, but everyone knows he came in with a small issue, we built him over the past three, four weeks, he’s not ready for a whole game. And we have many games to play [at] short notice, so yeah, we have to build him also in fitness.
“I think today as well, we played well, first half, you analyse that first half, it’s crazy. I think we started well, we created chances, and on the second attack for them and first chance, it’s in. Then we have to do better, we have to deal with that setback.
"Then we find ourselves in the game, we score the equaliser, but then it is disallowed. And that is I think the stage we are in at this moment. Then you can point to anyone, you have to look in the mirror, look to yourself, you have to make your own luck and, yeah, we have to improve.
“It’s about character and now we have to see how strong we are, and how the team sticks together, and which players are standing up, show the character and lead the team because in all the games, all the games we have seen we can play very good.”