Three months to the day, Manchester United lost 4-0 to Brighton, a match that marked a fitting end to a dramatic season. After a good preparation, in which Liverpool were beaten 4-0, there was hope that things would get better. That hope was not to last long. Although they had lost two of their key players to Tottenham and Chelsea, The Seagulls picked up where they left off in May: beating United.
Within half a minute the visitors had a huge chance after the lingering United right-back Diogo Dalot was put off the ball by Leandro Trossard, but the Belgian only managed to find the side net. A few minutes later, Bruno Fernandes had an excellent opportunity to give manager Ten Hag a dream start, but his free shot from about twelve meters flew into the stands. That was also the only danger that The Red Devils managed to create in the first act.
United without midfield
After that it was all Brighton. Graham Potter’s team, which has grown into a manager of stature in recent years, at times showed beautiful combination football, tapping away a slow and weak covering United. After just under half an hour, the reward came when star Pascal Gross could simply tap the ball after the United defense had been ripped open. Ten minutes later, the German scored the 0-2 after a wonderful attack that had started with a heel at his own corner flag. It was as if United were playing without a midfield.
Ten Hag responded immediately by warming up Cristiano Ronaldo. Forty-five minutes before the game, Old Trafford had been slightly shaken when it was announced that the talisman would start on the reserve bench. The assumption in the days before the game was that the 37-year-old superstar would start as a striker after Anthony Martial was out through injury. Ten Hag chose the team interest. The five-time Golden Ball winner wants to go to a club that does play the Champions League and had missed a large part of the preparation.
Five minutes after the break, CR7 came onto the field amid applause – and a bit of booing – taking the place of Fred, the Brazilian midfielder who had failed on all fronts. With a real striker in the team, rather than a fake one in the person of Christian Eriksen, United showed a little more urgency and decisiveness, without leading to big chances. After an hour of play, the home team was lucky that the referee did not give the visitors a penalty after former Ajax player Lisandro Martínez had knocked over the dangerous Danny Welbeck.
sardonic cheers
Brighton kept tapping and the fans who had traveled started cheering each pass. But that sardonic cheer faded when United scored the tie-breaker, a farcical fumble with Argentinian Alexis MacAllister finally touching the ball last. The VAR looked at possible hands, but decided to give the home team the benefit of the doubt. Fifteen minutes before the end, Donny van de Beek, again starting as reserve, came in for Scott McTominay, the weakest of all United players.
After the 1-2, it was a bit of a shock for Brighton, but the team managed to recover. Shortly before time, Ten Hag decided to award former Feyenoord player Tyrell Malacia his Premier League debut. His first act was a foul on Tariq Lamptey who had dodged him down the sidelines. And so the seconds and minutes ticked away for Manchester United. Despite five minutes of injury time, it didn’t get a chance anymore, so that Ten Hag started his adventure in the Premier League in a minor way.