In a key matchup in the English Premier League, Manchester United challenged Brighton away from home and ended up losing 1-2. The loss made the Red Devils' fans and commentators doubly disappointed, among which, former United player Hargreaves even pointed out the key to the team's failure - improper substitution adjustment.
As the game entered its final stages, Brighton made a comeback thanks to João Pedro's killer strike to make it 2-1, a scene which, in Hargreaves' opinion, was a direct consequence of United's miscalculation in substitution strategy. He was outspoken in his criticism of manager Jens Ten Hagar's substitution decisions, arguing that not only did the adjustments fail to turn the situation around, but instead served as a catalyst for the team's defeat.
"I think United lost on substitutions." Hargreaves said this in his post-match comments. He specifically mentioned the moment Bruno Fernandes was substituted, the Portuguese midfielder had a look of disbelief on his face as if to say, "You're substituting me?" The scene was undoubtedly a silent questioning of Ten Hagar's substitution decision.
Ten Hagar then chose to replace Maguire, a change that further affected United's on-field formation. Meanwhile, Brighton manager Hülzeler's substitutions were particularly successful, with the new players not only performing positively, but also contributing a crucial goal when most thought the game would end in a draw. This series of contrasting substitutions certainly made United's loss seem all the more regrettable and unfortunate.
