Revealing the Truth: Manchester United's Hidden Battle Behind the Glazers Situation

Paul Merson insists that Manchester United must cease hiding behind the Glazers situation and urges the players to take responsibility as they get ready to face Brighton in a vital Premier League match at Old Trafford this Saturday. Currently sitting in 11th place, Manchester United trails behind the league leader, Manchester City, by six points following a turbulent start to the season.

Erik ten Hag's team has yet to earn a point in away games this season. During the international break, they reflected on their six-point tally from the first four matches. This places them in a position where they are already behind the teams they aim to compete with at the top of the table. In his recent column for skysports.com, Merson analyzes the current state of affairs at Man Utd as they prepare for a crucial series of matches in both the Premier League and Champions League.

'Stop hiding behind Glazers situation'

There are plenty of issues at United at the moment.

The start of the season has not yielded favorable results. While facing defeats in north London, Wolves had a chance to secure a positive outcome at Old Trafford, and Nottingham Forest experienced some unfortunate circumstances. In addition, there is significant attention surrounding the Jadon Sancho situation and the noise surrounding Harry Maguire. Furthermore, the transfer window did not bring about the desired outcomes, leading to mounting pressure on Ten Hag.

In my opinion, Ten Hag must find solutions on the field. Winning football matches is imperative, and he is undoubtedly aware of this. Considering Manchester United's stature, they must secure a place in the top four.

Currently, it appears that individuals are using the Glazers as a scapegoat for everything.

The Glazers are constantly being blamed for various issues, despite not being actively involved in playing the game. While it is true that they could contribute to stadium improvements, a newly built, technologically advanced stadium will not necessarily enhance the players' performance. Burnley, for example, does not have an aesthetically pleasing stadium like Turf Moor, yet they still manage to excel.

Hiding behind the Glazers every time there is a defeat needs to stop. It's time for the players to stand up, be counted and get results.

'Man Utd face huge game against Brighton'

Manchester United require a favorable outcome against Brighton, making it a crucial match for Ten Hag and his team. Initiating the season has been somewhat challenging for United; however, they were extremely close to beginning on a good note with Alejandro Garnacho's goal against Arsenal, which was narrowly ruled offside.

With nine points from their first four matches, which included challenging away matches against Arsenal and in-form Tottenham, United's performance has been commendable. However, their fortunes could have been even better if events had unfolded differently at the Emirates. It highlights the narrow margins in football, as Garnacho's late goal was disallowed, and late strikes from Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus increased the pressure on United, leaving them with two wins and two losses in the opening games.

'United cannot afford another defeat at this stage'

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Marcus Rashford rues a missed chance against Spurs

When your targets at the start of the season include the Premier league title, you cannot afford three defeats in your opening five games.

That is why the Brighton game is such a big one for United.

With a loss on their home turf against Brighton, another year has slipped away in terms of contending for the title. Now, the focus shifts to fighting for second, third, fourth, or fifth place. It's only mid-September, yet the competition intensifies as all the teams vying for those top spots have also bolstered their strength. Securing a position in the top-four is set to become an immense struggle.

'They have the ability to turn things on'

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Bruno Fernandes celebrates winner for Man Utd against Nottingham Forest

Brighton is a formidable team with a track record of triumphs at Old Trafford. They astonished United during the first match of the previous season, which marked the commencement of Ten Hag's tenure on a dreadful note.

However, United possesses the ability to ignite their performance and excel under pressure.

Ten Hag is optimistic about motivating his players and achieving a favorable outcome to kick-start their season, considering the upcoming challenging league matches.

'Hojlund a bright spot for Man Utd'

A bright spot for them at the Emirates was the cameo of striker Rasmus Hojlund.

It was only 20 minutes or so that he was on the pitch but he showed plenty.

He was physical and got the better of Arsenal defender Gabriel on more than one occasion.

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Rasmus Hojlund in action against Arsenal. However, if he starts the game, he will face a different kind of pressure. It's worth noting that Mykhailo Mudryk made quite an impression during his Chelsea debut against Liverpool. He showcased his electrifying skills for about 20 minutes during the game at Anfield. Unfortunately, we haven't witnessed any notable performances from the Ukrainian international since then.

Hojlund faces a challenge against Lewis Dunk, an accomplished player in the Premier League. Moreover, Dunk's strong performance for England against Scotland adds to his confidence heading into this game. It will be intriguing to observe how Hojlund handles this test, but I have been impressed with his skills thus far.

'Games coming up United should be winning'

Man Utd need a good week. Ten Hag needs a good week, especially in the Premier League.

Facing Harry Kane's Bayern Munich is currently a challenging task, making the upcoming Brighton game even more crucial.

If there were to be a loss against Brighton followed by a defeat at Bayern, the pressure on Ten Hag would undoubtedly intensify.

He is aware of the reality. Despite a promising start at Old Trafford, where he achieved success in the Carabao Cup, secured a place in the top four, reached the FA Cup final, and had a decent performance in European competitions, he understands the importance of consistently winning matches.

Their upcoming fixtures in the league seem highly favorable, but failure to secure a victory against Brighton on Saturday will make all subsequent games challenging. The following match against Burnley will either elevate their spirits to new heights or leave them feeling exceptionally deflated.

The Bayern match is expected to be challenging. It is doubtful that they will find success in Munich. However, both matches against Brighton and Burnley are ones that Man Utd should confidently win. Stay updated with the Man Utd vs Brighton live blog starting at 1.30pm on Saturday (kick-off 3pm) and catch the free match highlights at 5.15pm.