Harry Maguire makes bizarre mistake in Old Trafford tunnel

Manchester United captain Harry Maguire appeared to make an error before a ball had been kicked in their Premier League game against Brighton.

Maguire, who has been heavily criticised for his performances in recent months, always leads the United team out onto the pitch at Old Trafford.

Despite the fact that United traditionally walk out onto the pitch from the left side of the tunnel, the centre-back had his team-mates stand on the opposite side of the tunnel prior to the game against Brighton.

David de Gea appeared to point out this mistake and Maguire then spoke to Brighton captain Lewis Dunk before the two teams swapped sides.

It has been suggested that the confusion may have been caused by a dugout change that new manager Erik ten Hag has implemented.

“In a new layout agreed with Erik, the home and away dugouts have been permanently switched so that the United manager, staff and substitutes will now be sat in the seats to the west of the halfway line – the dugout previously occupied by the away team,” United wrote on their website.

“Erik approved the move after visiting Old Trafford for the first time in May and noting how the old away dugout was closer to the tunnel, and to the half of the pitch where substitutes warm up.

“Switching sides will also position the home staff and players closer to the Stretford End – the traditional heart of the home support – and align the dugouts with the halves of the pitch in which the home and away teams warm up before the game.”

After both teams went out onto the pitch, Brighton took a 2-0 lead as Pascal Gross scored twice in the space of nine first-half minutes.

United did pull a goal back midway through the second half as they benefited from an Alexis Mac Allister own goal, but it was not enough for Ten Hag to avoid a defeat in his first game in charge.

“Well, I think we actually started the game pretty well. We started on the front foot,” Maguire told Sky Sports after the game. “We were the team who had control of the game and we conceded the first goal, which knocked us back really badly.

“We stopped playing from then. They got a lot of control in the game, so we need to look at not letting that first goal set us back as much as it did.

“But we have got to be better on the ball – we gave the ball away too much in the first half, especially after the first goal and we gave them encouragement to come forward and attack us. It was a nightmare start to be 2-0 down at half-time.”

David de Gea reminding Harry Maguire they’re standing on the wrong side of the tunnel at Old Trafford 🤣 pic.twitter.com/gD211Bg7u6

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) August 9, 2022