New manager Erik ten Hag saw the depth of the crisis at Manchester United when his side fell to a 2-1 Premier League defeat by Brighton &amp; Hove Albion at Old Trafford on Sunday, with German Pascal Gross scoring twice.

United fans` hopes that the off-season would mark a turning point have faded, with the club failing to make major moves yet in the transfer market and there was a grim familiarity to the club`s opening match.

The former Ajax coach witnessed a performance that was every bit as disjointed as those produced under his predecessors Ralf Rangnick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer last season.

The sense that this was a continuation of last year`s decline began before kick-off where there were yet more loud and angry protests against United`s owners, the American Glazer family, under the South Stand

If that felt familiar, then the sight of Scott McTominay and Fred in midfield as United laboured against Graham Potter`s superbly drilled side was verging on deja vu.

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United had been shambolic in their 4-0 loss at Brighton in May and, even with debuts for defender Lisandro Martinez and midfielder Christian Eriksen, little felt new or changed about the performance.

Brighton took the lead on the half-hour with Leandro Trossard finding former United forward Danny Welbeck who squared the ball to the back post for Gross to slot home.

Nine minutes later, Gross doubled the lead, with his sixth career goal against United, after David De Gea had poorly pushed out a Solly March drive right into the path of the German who again made no mistake.

United went in at the break to the sound of booing from their own supporters -- once a rare occurrence but increasingly part of the experience at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag introduced Cristiano Ronaldo in the 53rd minute and the Portugal forward, who is reported to want to leave the club, provided the spark for United`s attempted comeback.

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The home side gave themselves a foothold in the 68th minute when a goalmouth scramble ended with Alexis Mac Allister turning the ball into his own net but Brighton held on for a second straight win against United and their first ever at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag said he had no illusions of the scale of the task ahead of him.

"I was aware of it before, this game doesn`t change that. It is a hell of a job. We have to work really hard, analyse then move forward," he said.

"Of course definitely a setback and real disappointment. I knew from the start it would not be easy. We gave two easy balls away and it was not good in the organisation."

Brighton boss Graham Potter was full of praise for his team.

“It was a fantastic effort from the players and we deserved the win over the course of the game,” he said. “It’s a historic win for us so it’s something to be happy about.

“We had an idea about how to attack and then, when we could, we tried to press and put them under pressure. We were brave in what we did," he added.

New manager Erik ten Hag saw the depth of the crisis at Manchester United when his side fell to a 2-1 Premier League defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford on Sunday, with German Pascal Gross scoring twice.

New manager Erik ten Hag saw the depth of the crisis at Manchester United when his side fell to a 2-1 Premier League defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford on Sunday, with German Pascal Gross scoring twice. United fans` hopes that the off-season would mark a turning point have faded, with the club failing to make major moves yet in the transfer market and there was a grim familiarity to the club`s opening match. The former Ajax coach witnessed a performance that was every bit as disjointed as those produced under his predecessors Ralf Rangnick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer last season. The sense that this was a continuation of last year`s decline began before kick-off where there were yet more loud and angry protests against United`s owners, the American Glazer family, under the South Stand If that felt familiar, then the sight of Scott McTominay and Fred in midfield as United laboured against Graham Potter`s superbly drilled side was verging on deja vu. Also Read: Five strikers Manchester United can sign this window if Cristiano Ronaldo leaves United had been shambolic in their 4-0 loss at Brighton in May and, even with debuts for defender Lisandro Martinez and midfielder Christian Eriksen, little felt new or changed about the performance. Brighton took the lead on the half-hour with Leandro Trossard finding former United forward Danny Welbeck who squared the ball to the back post for Gross to slot home. Nine minutes later, Gross doubled the lead, with his sixth career goal against United, after David De Gea had poorly pushed out a Solly March drive right into the path of the German who again made no mistake. United went in at the break to the sound of booing from their own supporters -- once a rare occurrence but increasingly part of the experience at Old Trafford. Ten Hag introduced Cristiano Ronaldo in the 53rd minute and the Portugal forward, who is reported to want to leave the club, provided the spark for United`s attempted comeback. Also Read: WATCH - Lionel Messi scores stunning bicycle kick goal as PSG thrash Clermont Foot 5-0 in Ligue 1 opener The home side gave themselves a foothold in the 68th minute when a goalmouth scramble ended with Alexis Mac Allister turning the ball into his own net but Brighton held on for a second straight win against United and their first ever at Old Trafford. Ten Hag said he had no illusions of the scale of the task ahead of him. "I was aware of it before, this game doesn`t change that. It is a hell of a job. We have to work really hard, analyse then move forward," he said. "Of course definitely a setback and real disappointment. I knew from the start it would not be easy. We gave two easy balls away and it was not good in the organisation." Brighton boss Graham Potter was full of praise for his team. “It was a fantastic effort from the players and we deserved the win over the course of the game,” he said. “It’s a historic win for us so it’s something to be happy about. “We had an idea about how to attack and then, when we could, we tried to press and put them under pressure. We were brave in what we did," he added.

Erik Ten Hag era at Manchester United begins with a shambolic defeat against Brighton in Premier League

The mystery regarding Cristiano Ronaldo's future at Manchester United continues to get complicated ahead of the new EPL season. Ahead of Man United's Premier League opener, where they face Brighton on August 07 (Sunday), it is being reported that the new manager Erik Ten Hag is set to bench Ronaldo from the playing XI.&nbsp;

So far, Ronaldo missed the Red Devils' pre-season tour of Bangkok and Australia -- citing personal reasons -- and only made a 45-minute appearance&nbsp;against Rayo Vallecano. His early exit from the game has not impressed the new manager, who is set to snub the star striker from Man Utd's season-opener (as per a report in The Sun).

Ten Hag is reportedly keen to go ahead with the front three in the form of Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial. Thus, Ronaldo's omission will certainly make heads turn especially at a time when the 37-year-old isn't too keen to continue at the club. If this happens, this might&nbsp;push him further towards an exit.

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Recently, in an interview with Dutch outlet Viaplay Sport Nederland, Erik opined on Ronaldo leaving the game before the final whistle. He said in this regard, "It is not a good look to leave early when you have been involved in the squad. It is different if you are up in the stands and not involved."

“You would expect someone who has played in the game to be in the changing rooms at the end to listen to the manager’s thoughts. Also a lot of people were there to see him and he was not even involved in the clapping of the fans after the final whistle,” Ten Hag added, further&nbsp;criticising Ronaldo.

It is clear that all is not well between Erik and Ronaldo and the two aren't on the same page as yet.&nbsp;

The mystery regarding Cristiano Ronaldo's future at Manchester United continues to get complicated ahead of the new EPL season. Ahead of Man United's Premier League opener, where they face Brighton on August 07 (Sunday), it is being reported that the new manager Erik Ten Hag is set to bench Ronaldo from the playing XI.

The mystery regarding Cristiano Ronaldo's future at Manchester United continues to get complicated ahead of the new EPL season. Ahead of Man United's Premier League opener, where they face Brighton on August 07 (Sunday), it is being reported that the new manager Erik Ten Hag is set to bench Ronaldo from the playing XI. So far, Ronaldo missed the Red Devils' pre-season tour of Bangkok and Australia -- citing personal reasons -- and only made a 45-minute appearance against Rayo Vallecano. His early exit from the game has not impressed the new manager, who is set to snub the star striker from Man Utd's season-opener (as per a report in The Sun). Ten Hag is reportedly keen to go ahead with the front three in the form of Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial. Thus, Ronaldo's omission will certainly make heads turn especially at a time when the 37-year-old isn't too keen to continue at the club. If this happens, this might push him further towards an exit. ALSO READ | 'It's unacceptable': Man Utd boss Erik Ten Hag slams Cristiano Ronaldo for leaving game before final whistle Recently, in an interview with Dutch outlet Viaplay Sport Nederland, Erik opined on Ronaldo leaving the game before the final whistle. He said in this regard, "It is not a good look to leave early when you have been involved in the squad. It is different if you are up in the stands and not involved." “You would expect someone who has played in the game to be in the changing rooms at the end to listen to the manager’s thoughts. Also a lot of people were there to see him and he was not even involved in the clapping of the fans after the final whistle,” Ten Hag added, further criticising Ronaldo. It is clear that all is not well between Erik and Ronaldo and the two aren't on the same page as yet.

Cristiano Ronaldo to be benched by Erik Ten Hag for Man United's Premier League opener: Report

Manchester United's season continues to go from bad to worse with one defeat after another. The English Premier League (EPL) giants have endured a disappointing campaign this season as they are all but certain to miss out on a spot in the Champions League by finishing outside the top four in England's top flight. The Red Devils were hammered 4-0 by Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday.

It was yet another woeful performance from United, who have failed to find the rhythm and have struggled immensely under interim manager Ralf Rangnick. From dressing room leaks to players failing to perform up to the expectations, United have had a turbulent time this season as they find themselves reeling on the spot on the points table.

It was a dismal performance from United on Saturday as goals from Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella, Pascal Grob and Leandro Trossard saw Brighton earn a comprehensive 4-0 win against the Red Devils. After their 3-0 win over Brentford in their last game, United were expected to finish the season on a high but they faltered once again against Brighton.

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Dejected with their team's poor show, United fans, who had travelled to Brighton to watch their team play, lost their patience and were heard chanting ‘you’re not fit to wear the shirt’ as they turned on the players after their dismal defeat. Reacting to the fans' chant, Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes said they were right for calling the players out.

The Portuguese midfielder, who has been one of the better players for United this season, said he also deserved the backlash from the fans along with his teammates as they were not good enough against Brighton.

"I include myself in that," Fernandes told Sky Sports. "What we did today, what I did today, was not enough to be in a Man Utd shirt and I accept it," he added.

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When asked what went wrong for United in the game, Fernandes pointed out Rangnick's men were not good enough in terms of both quality and mentality. Fernandes described it as an 'embarrassing' performance from United, who have been battling all season to secure a spot in the top four and have failed to do so.

"A little bit of everything (went wrong). Quality. Mentality. They deserved to win and we deserve to be in the position we are in now. It’s something that we have to look and be embarrassed because that was not good enough from us and we have to do much better," said Fernandes.

Manchester United's season continues to go from bad to worse with one defeat after another. The English Premier League (EPL) giants have endured a disappointing campaign this season as they are all but certain to miss out on a spot in the Champions League by finishing outside the top four in England's top flight.

Manchester United's season continues to go from bad to worse with one defeat after another. The English Premier League (EPL) giants have endured a disappointing campaign this season as they are all but certain to miss out on a spot in the Champions League by finishing outside the top four in England's top flight. The Red Devils were hammered 4-0 by Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday. It was yet another woeful performance from United, who have failed to find the rhythm and have struggled immensely under interim manager Ralf Rangnick. From dressing room leaks to players failing to perform up to the expectations, United have had a turbulent time this season as they find themselves reeling on the spot on the points table. It was a dismal performance from United on Saturday as goals from Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella, Pascal Grob and Leandro Trossard saw Brighton earn a comprehensive 4-0 win against the Red Devils. After their 3-0 win over Brentford in their last game, United were expected to finish the season on a high but they faltered once again against Brighton. Also Read: Premier League: Liverpool suffer title blow after draw against Spurs, Brighton thrash Manchester United 4-0 Dejected with their team's poor show, United fans, who had travelled to Brighton to watch their team play, lost their patience and were heard chanting ‘you’re not fit to wear the shirt’ as they turned on the players after their dismal defeat. Reacting to the fans' chant, Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes said they were right for calling the players out. The Portuguese midfielder, who has been one of the better players for United this season, said he also deserved the backlash from the fans along with his teammates as they were not good enough against Brighton. "I include myself in that," Fernandes told Sky Sports. "What we did today, what I did today, was not enough to be in a Man Utd shirt and I accept it," he added. Also Read: From Cristiano Ronaldo to Paul Pogba: Superstars who can leave Manchester United this year When asked what went wrong for United in the game, Fernandes pointed out Rangnick's men were not good enough in terms of both quality and mentality. Fernandes described it as an 'embarrassing' performance from United, who have been battling all season to secure a spot in the top four and have failed to do so. "A little bit of everything (went wrong). Quality. Mentality. They deserved to win and we deserve to be in the position we are in now. It’s something that we have to look and be embarrassed because that was not good enough from us and we have to do much better," said Fernandes.

Bruno Fernandes reacts as Man Utd fans chant ‘you’re not fit to wear the shirt’ after 4-0 defeat vs Brighton