Manchester United were beaten 3-2 by Brighton in the Carabao Cup, with Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven coming in for particular criticism from Jamie Redknapp after their defensive display
Jamie Redknapp
Jamie Redknapp singled out Yoro and Heaven for criticism
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Jamie Redknapp criticised Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven for their roles in Manchester United's capitulation, as a two-goal advantage disappeared into a 3-2 Carabao Cup loss to Brighton. Both defenders were at fault in the lead-up to Pascal Gross' equaliser, unable to handle the danger when it counted most.
Heaven was woefully positioned as Brighton surged forward, leaving Gross with space to push ahead. When the ball found the midfielder, the United youngster was miles away from him, powerless to recover or mount a challenge as Gross entered the penalty area.
Yoro similarly lost concentration at a pivotal juncture, neglecting to read the danger and permitting his marker to drift free. Breaking down the incident on Sky Sports, Redknapp observed: "You've got Yoro on the far side, [Andrey] Santos is getting pressurised there all game, kept giving the ball away.
"The ball goes to Ayden Heaven, get it out to Yoro, they're getting pressured. Ayden Heaven now has to sense instead of the companion doesn't get the ball, he now has to get across and sprint 20 yards to the centre midfield player that's going to score there, Pascal Gross.
"Instead, he's on his heels, he doesn't anticipate the danger, Leny Yoro does really poorly as well. Look at Ayden Heaven, get in there, sprint, there you go mate. Get to the penalty spot, instead, he's jogging, he's jogging.
"That's so poor from their perspective and what Leny Yoro does, I've no idea. What kind of an effort is this to stop the ball as it comes in? Look at him, he comes across - then how easy is that [for Gross to score]. This isn't a five-a-side competition, this is a big competition."
The former Liverpool midfielder also warned that displays like that will not secure either player a regular starting berth in thefuture. "You've got to go, you've got to be aggressive, both of them there, they showed their inexperience and if that doesn't change, they won't play for Man United regularly," Redknapp continued.
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"It's a simple as that - I don't care what the price tag is on them. That summed it up for me - that was the difference between Brighton's defending and theirs."
Just five minutes later, United conceded a third goal, with substitute Maxim De Cuyper completing Brighton's comeback. The Red Devils had stormed into a 2-0 advantage within the opening 10 minutes of the Carabao Cup clash, only to capitulate in a defeat that could prove costly for Michael Carrick's long-term future at Old Trafford.
When questioned afterwards about whether he had been 'sold short' with the squad he'd been handed this season, Carrick maintained: "No, no, listen. The team's on me, so when we win, people say I'm doing a good job, and if we don't win or we don't get results, then a lot of it's on me.
"So I accept that, I'm not hiding away from any of that. That is what it is."
United now turn their attention back to Premier League matters, with an away fixture at Fulham's Craven Cottage - their last outing before the September international break. They are back in action on 10 October, when they welcome Tottenham to Old Trafford.