CHRIS WHEELER: United spent £120m on defenders but guarded goal like school kids

After spending just shy of £120milion on new defenders this summer, Manchester United could at the very least hope to be a little tighter at the back.

Granted, new £59million signing Leny Yoro is currently on crutches after breaking a metatarsal on the club's tour of the US.

But Matthijs De Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui – bought from Bayern Munich for a combined total of £60m – were both on the pitch in the fifth minute of added time here at the Amex Stadium on Saturday as Erik ten Hag's side defended in numbers and defended like school kids.

Antony put in the flimsiest of tackles on Simon Adingra and Yasin Ayari played the ball back to the Brighton winger. Mazraoui, Diogo Dalot and Kobbie Mainoo were all drawn to Adingra but couldn't stop him clipping a lovely cross to the back post where Joao Pedro and Julio Enciso had enough time to play a game of rock, paper, scissors to decide who converted it. The Brazilian never looked like missing with a downward header.

Brighton's first goal wasn't much better from a United point of view. Harry Maguire allowed Joao Pedro's cross from the right to drift across the penalty box rather than attack the ball. Kaoru Mitoma was able to guide a pass from the left through three United defenders for Danny Welbeck to score against his old club.

No matter how much money you spend, Ten Hag knows you cannot defend collectively and individually like this in the Premier League and expect to get results.

'We controlled the game in possession and we were doing so well, and we got two unnecessary goals – very avoidable,' lamented the United manager.

'We conceded two soft goals where we should act better as a team. We have to learn. It is so unnecessary if you protect the goal like we do and then drop points. Football is about details and we have to do better on such occasions.

'I'm disappointed because we should have taken at least a draw. We could have won as well, but in the end you have no points and that is disappointing because it could have been very different.

'We have to be more aggressive and clinical in both boxes. How we concede the goals is very soft. It shouldn't have happened, we should be better organised in such moments. That is a step backwards.'

Joao Pedro's winner was a throwback to United's habit of conceding late goals last season which resurfaced in the Community Shield earlier this month when Bernardo Silva grabbed a late equaliser before Manchester City beat United on penalties.

'If we can't win the game, don't lose the game,' added Ten Hag. 'We conceded just before full time in the Community Shield. We should be more clinical and just take the point.

'So many things in that moment. We have to talk and be aligned in such moments what to do. Everyone knows their job and as a team we protect our goal.

'We didn't stop the cross. There were three players, right-footed players, who should have sent him (Adringra) down the line and not allowed the cross. We have to talk about this, how we act in that situation as a team

'There were more than one mistake on that occasion and that had a big impact on the score.'

There was another concern for United when Mason Mount, whose first season at Old Trafford was plagued by injury, went off at half-time. 'He had an issue and we know the history of Mason,' said Ten Hag ominously.

For new Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler, it was quite a first home game in charge after last weekend's win at Everton.

'I'm euphoric,' said the young German coach. 'You can't buy these emotions and you won't get them from anywhere else.

'I will continue building on the foundations. This is why I didn't change a lot of things.'