Erik ten Hag has disclosed the strategic adjustments he implemented, which he believes were crucial in securing Manchester United’s victory over Brighton on Sunday afternoon.
Manchester United wrapped up their 2023/24 Premier League season with a 2-0 triumph against Brighton at the Amex Stadium. The match saw second-half goals from Diogo Dalot and Rasmus Højlund, sealing a positive end to a challenging season for the Red Devils. Despite the win, the final standings confirmed United finished eighth in the league table, marking their poorest performance in Premier League history.
Looking ahead, United are set to face Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley next weekend. City, having recently secured their fourth consecutive league title, will be formidable opponents, but Ten Hag’s team will be determined to upset their celebrations and claim silverware.
In his post-match comments, Ten Hag shed light on a critical tactical switch he made at half-time, which he believes was instrumental in turning the game in United’s favor against Brighton. He acknowledged that the first half did not go entirely as planned, with Brighton creating several chances and United struggling to maintain control.
Reflecting on the match, Ten Hag said, “In the first half, we were not entirely in control. We faced several opportunities from Brighton and had to work hard defensively. However, at half-time, we decided to make a tactical adjustment, which significantly improved our performance. We focused on better defensive organization, more effective pressing, and maintaining possession. This allowed us to create more dynamic movements off the ball, something that was lacking in the first half where we were too static.”
Elaborating on the specific changes, Ten Hag explained, “We switched our number 6s, Kobbie Mainoo and Sofyan Amrabat, swapping their positions from left to right. This shift was crucial in addressing the defensive issues we had, particularly against Joao Pedro, who caused us problems in the first half. After making this adjustment, we gained better control over the game, improved our ball handling, and created more fluid movements.”
The impact of these changes was evident in United’s improved second-half performance. Ten Hag highlighted, “The first goal demonstrated the effectiveness of our tactical tweak. We saw better movement in behind the defense, which was a direct result of the changes we implemented.”
This strategic insight provided by Ten Hag underscores the importance of in-game adjustments and the role of tactical acumen in influencing match outcomes. As Manchester United prepare for their crucial FA Cup final against Manchester City, such tactical flexibility and awareness will be vital in their quest to secure victory and end the season on a high note.