Manchester United players turned on each other in the dressing room following their disastrous 3-1 defeat to Brighton at Old Trafford, reports now suggest.
The defeat marked their third setback in the new Premier League season, with Roberto De Zerbi’s team outclassing Erik ten Hag’s side on Saturday, September 16, 2023.
United’s performance has yielded just six points from their initial five games, and they already find themselves trailing Premier League champions and current leaders Manchester City by nine points.
Media reports in the United Kingdom indicate that tensions flared within the United squad as Ten Hag tried to restore order.
United captain Bruno Fernandes is said to have confronted fellow midfielder Scott McTominay, who had received his first start of the season.
Additionally, Lisandro Martinez, who was outfoxed by Pascal Gross for Brighton’s well-constructed second goal, reportedly had a heated exchange with his center-back partner, Victor Lindelof.
However, the English giants have denied the claims asserting that no such altercation occurred at Old Trafford on Saturday, reports Italian sports journalist Fabrizio Romano
“Manchester United have denied a ‘furious dressing room bust-up’ after losing 3-1 to Brighton. Erik ten Hag remains in control of the situation and focused on the project despite a poor start,” stated Fabrizio.
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Brighton secured a commanding 3-1 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford, marking the hosts’ third defeat in their first five league matches – their worst start in 34 years.
The crowd expressed their disappointment with boos after a lackluster performance, exacerbated by the absence of Antony and Jadon Sancho due to international duties.
Manager Erik ten Hag remains confident, insisting there is no crisis at the club and that they will recover if they stay committed to their strategy.
Manchester United now shifts their focus to the Champions League following their year-long absence from the competition.
Ten Hag’s team commences their campaign on Wednesday with a challenging fixture in Group A – an away match against Bayern Munich.