It may only be early in the season but Manchester United are already in desperate times with an early injury crisis and a lack of identity affecting Erik ten Hag’s Red Devils. It may seem drastic but Manchester United are needing to put in a good performance and grab all three points against Brighton & Hove Albion.
Pre Season expectations
After successfully breaking a seven-year hoodo without a trophy, United were expected to push on and challenge for the title this season. Regaining Champions League football by finishing third in the league showed they needed to take it up a notch but with Manchester City easing themselves into old habits, Arsenal continuing to grow, Liverpool gaining resurgence and Spurs building under Ange Postegoglu, United have been left in the traps in terms of putting in stand out performances.
Start to the season
In terms of points, Manchester United have 6 points from four games and with all the talk of it being a disastrous season it is something for United to build on as opposed to having no points.
However, performances have been lackluster, especially in the wins against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest where United were lucky to take all three points. Defeats to Spurs and Arsenal have hampered the progress for United and they still have the awful record from last season of picking up just one point in 18 games against a top-ten side.
Off-the-field issues
With continuing unrest regarding the takeover bids and the apparent disregard for it from the Glazer family a shadow has been cast over Old Trafford with the constant talk about a takeover.
Alongside that, United have had to deal with the ongoing Mason Greenwood issue right up until deadline day. In the same vein, United now have issues with winger Antony who is being accused of assault by three former girlfriends.
Then the bombshell being dropped by Jadon Sancho about his exclusion from the matchday squad against Arsenal has created a big divide between himself and manager ten Hag.
United head into the Brighton game needing a win
With all the issues ongoing, a win is vital against a Brighton side that have caused United many issues over the past few seasons.
United have major injuries in defence and are severely weakened going into the Brighton game. It is a major setback for the Red Devils to be missing important players like Raphael Varane and Luke Shaw.
With the front three struggling to combine, moving Marcus Rashford back to the left and integrating Rasmus Højlund as the main striker does bring United a stronger shape meaning they can press from the front causing problems for the defence of the opposition.
The midfield need to be more of a unit like they were last year whereas at the moment they look like they would fold with any sort of pressure on them.
United need to be focused and get all three points against a very good Brighton side but if they lose it could signal a spiral in the progress they made last year.