Manchester United’s season tips into crisis as Brighton run away convincing winners
Some fans at Old Trafford headed home after Brighton’s third goal and booed Erik ten Hag’s decision to substitute Rasmus Hojlund
Manchester United slumped to their fourth successive Premier League defeat to a classy Brighton on another wretched day for Erik ten Hag.
Goals from Old Trafford old boy Danny Welbeck, Pascal Gross, who scored for the fourth time in three league outings against United, and Joao Pedro saw Ten Hag’s troubled side suffer their third defeat in their last four league matches.
Some United fans headed for the exit when Pedro made it 3-0 in the 71st minute, shortly before substitute Hannibal pulled a goal back.
Brighton were the last team to beat United at Old Trafford in domestic competition, 13 months ago, and once again cut their opponents apart to record another famous win.
Chants of “can we play you every week?” and “we want four” reverberated around Old Trafford while Ten Hag’s decision to substitute home debutant Rasmus Hojlund and bring on Anthony Martial was roundly booed by United fans.
Jadon Sancho and Antony had been left out of United’s squad with Ten Hag electing to start with a midfield diamond and Marcus Rashford in an attack with new £72 million signing Hojlund but the tactic failed to pay off. United have now conceded 10 goals in their first five league games; Brighton have scored 15 over the same period.
Ten Hag’s big calls will come under increasing scrutiny after another loss Credit: PA/Martin Rickett
Sancho - banished from the first team squad after refusing to apologise for his public outburst at the manager - had watched United’s Under-18 team in action at Carrington earlier in the day.
Brighton’s entire starting XI cost around £17m, less than a quarter of what United paid for Sancho as Roberto De Zerbi’s team of bargain buys and free transfers tore their opponents apart defensively.
De Zerbi, who celebrates 12 months in charge at Brighton on Monday, has elevated the club in no time and masterminded this victory despite being deprived of a number of key players including Julio Enciso, Solly March and Pervis Estupinan.
Evan Ferguson, who had scored a hat-trick against Newcastle in Brighton’s final game before the international break, was only fit enough to come on for the closing minutes.
Welbeck opened the scoring after another long passage of Brighton possession culminated in the former United striker spraying the ball out wide to Simon Adingra. Adam Lallana dummied and Welbeck, who had carried on his run, finished coolly.
Not for the first time, Danny Welbeck scored against his former club Credit: PA/Martin Rickett
Hojlund thought he had claimed his first goal for the club when he turned home Rashford’s pull-back but a Var check ruled that the ball had just gone out of play before the England striker cut it back from the by-line.
United fashioned chances for Rashford, who found himself in a number of inviting positions one on one on the left, but he could not make them count.
Brighton doubled their advantage eight minutes after the restart with another lovely slick move in which United once again granted De Zerbi’s team acres of space.
The ball was worked right to left and then moved between Karou Mitoma and Tariq Lamptey to Gross, bypassing the abysmal Victor Lindelof in the process. Gross then feinted to shoot, with the lunging Lisandro Martinez buying the dummy, before the Germany international fired low into the bottom corner. He just cannot stop scoring against United.
Pascal Gross continued his strong record against United with another goal Credit: Reuters/Molly Darlington
By the time Pedro hit a first time shot past Andre Onana, who really should have done better, Brighton were rampant as some United supporters headed for the exit.
Hannibal pulled a goal back moments later when he drilled in a shot from 20 yards but it was as good as it got for United.
Brighton had chances to extend their lead with Onana saving from Ferguson and Ansu Fati, on loan from Barcelona, who was denied a first goal for his new club when through one on one.
