Gary Neville has suggested that new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has fallen into the same trap as those who've gone before him.
Ten Hag lost his first Premier League match in charge on Sunday, as the Red Devils produced an abject performance and were condemned to a dreadful 2-1 defeat at home to Brighton & Hove Albion. Neville reckons that the United boss has already made the same mistake as the likes of Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick on his quest to bring back the glory days to Old Trafford.
"Every new coach that comes in thinks they can do better with the players that are there than the last coach because they believe they're a better coach and that's probably the case with this," the Red Devils legend told Sky Sports post-match. "But the reality is he's probably seen what those players are today."
Neville added: "I don't think any Manchester United fan, any pundit, anybody who's watched this team over the last 12 months with the same players playing in the same positions expected anything different than they saw today. Erik ten Hag will be disappointed because he saw promising signs in pre-season, but reality has hit home."
While Mourinho and Solskjaer had encouraging spells with United, Rangnick's tenure during the second half of last term was a glum one that Ten Hag has been challenged with picking up the pieces of. The Dutch tactician wasn't totally surprised by the calamitous display against Brighton, admitting that his task "is a hell of a job."
"We have to work really hard, analyse then move forward," The ex- Ajax manager affirmed via BBC Sport. "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.
"It is clear to see the second half we were better in midfield with [Christian] Eriksen down and [Cristiano] Ronaldo up. We created and [Marcus] Rashford had two good chances, it is a shame we did not score. I am not satisfied, totally not. We lost and it was not necessary. We should do better."
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Ten Hag was asked whether new signings would make a difference for the Red Devils, to which the Dutch boss simply replied: "We could do better with the players we had. We made mistakes on the ball and organisation mistakes in defending.
"We have to take the lessons and learn quickly from it. Brighton are a decent team, all the compliments, but I look to my team and we should not give two easy goals away."
Ten Hag will be hoping to get his first win when United travel to Brentford on Saturday for the teatime kick-off.
