MANCHESTER, Sep 14: Manchester United has been beset with problems on and off the field, and the Premier League season is only four games old.
After already losing twice, results and performances have been disappointing; particularly when manager Erik ten Hag was expected to mount more of a challenge to defending champion Manchester City in his second year in charge.
Off the field, it has been even more turbulent. Amid a backlash from fans, United eventually decided to part ways with Mason Greenwood, six months after a criminal investigation of attempted rape was closed by prosecutors.
The club then had to contend with allegations of domestic abuse made against Brazil winger Antony, who has been given a leave of absence to address the claims.
Meanwhile, Jadon Sancho used social media to air his grievances by saying he had been made a “scapegoat” after being cut from United’s squad for its last game before the international break, a 3-1 loss to Arsenal.
All of that comes at the same time as uncertainty continues to surround the ownership of the club, 10 months after it was put on the market.
Regarding the on-field matters, Ten Hag is also dealing with a spate of injuries to key players including Mason Mount, Luke Shaw and Raphael Varane.
In that sense, a two-week pause for international football might have been a welcome relief to the Dutch coach. The visit of Brighton to Old Trafford on Saturday, however, represents the potential of another setback for a United team that has looked vulnerable so far this season.
Man Utd Vs Brighton
(Saturday 7:30 PM IST)
Brighton beat United home and away last season and inflicted a first defeat on Ten Hag in his opening game as manager.
The south coast club seems serene in comparison to the troubles at United, but has had to handle its own upheaval over the past year after losing star players, its manager and a key executive. Still, the club has continued to over-perform, qualifying for this season’s Europa League and unearthing more talent in highly-rated striker Evan Ferguson.
Brighton has become a benchmark of how to run a club well, with an outstanding recruitment set up and savvy, imaginative managerial hires. In the last transfer window it brought in about $204 million in sales, with midfielders Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister the big departures. Brighton’s preparation for upheaval appears to be the secret to its success. There is an expectation that the league’s biggest clubs will try to lure its best talent, as was the case when Chelsea signed Caicedo and Mac Allister joined Liverpool.
United is still trying to recover from a series of mistakes made in the transfer market since Alex Ferguson retired as manager in 2013.
It has been 10 years since the storied club won its last league title, but there is encouragement Ten Hag is moving it in the right direction after finishing third last year, qualifying for the Champions League and winning the League Cup.
The former Ajax coach’s impressive first year in charge gave rise to hope he could mount a credible title challenge this season.
That could yet materialize, but it has been far from the start he would have wanted.
Wolves Vs Liverpool
(Saturday 5:00 PM IST)
Liverpool, undefeated in their last 15 league matches, have had a player red-carded in back-to-back league games for the first time since March and April 2015.
Liverpool’s new midfield signing Dominik Szoboszlai scored his first goal for the Merseyside giants in their 3-0 win over Aston Villa before the international break, with vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold securing his first assist of the season in the same match at Anfield. Wolves have lost 14 of their 18 league matches against Liverpool, with two matches ending in draws.
Newcastle United
Vs Brentford
(Saturday 10:00 PM IST)
Newcastle’s new signing Sandro Tonali is an injury doubt after the former AC Milan midfielder missed Italy’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Ukraine.
Eddie Howe’s Newcastle, who qualified for the Champions League for the first time in 20 years, have lost three of their first four league matches this season. They only lost five games last season.
Thomas Frank’s Brentford have only been beaten once in their last 11 league matches (W6, D4), a 1-0 defeat by Liverpool in May.
West Ham United Vs Manchester City
(Saturday 7:30 PM IST)
Pep Guardiola will be back on the touchline against David Moyes’ West Ham, who are fourth in the standings and two points behind leaders City, after missing two games following a back surgery.
Midfielder James Ward-Prowse (one goal, three assists) is the first West Ham player to either score or assist a goal in his first three league appearances.
This is West Ham’s joint-highest points tally after their opening four games of a league season, having also earned 10 points in 1999-2000. (AP)
