HIGHLIGHTS
Former Man Utd striker Danny Welbeck opened the scoring for Brighton with Pascal Gross and Joao Pedro adding two second-half goals after poor defending. Hannibal Mejbri pulled one back for Man Utd as hosts have now lost three of their opening five Premier League games.
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| Image: Danny Welbeck celebrates after giving Brighton a first-half lead at Old Trafford |
Manchester United's dismal start to the new Premier League season continued as they lost 3-1 to Brighton for the fourth top-flight game in a row.
For the first time in 34 years, Man Utd have lost three of their first five league games of a season, with the Old Trafford defeat ending a run of 20 games unbeaten at home in the Premier League.
United were undone by some questionable defending for all three of Brighton's goals, with the visitors not allowing any mistake to go unpunished.
Former Man Utd striker Danny Welbeck was left unmarked as he swept home the 20th-minute opener. After the break, neither Lisandro Martinez nor Victor Lindelof reacted quickly enough to intercept Tariq Lamptey's passive pass, allowing Pascal Gross to double the visitors' lead in the 53rd minute.
In a similar fashion, Joao Pedro was allowed plenty of space at the top of the area to curl home a delightful third in the 71st minute, although Hannibal Mejbri immediately replied two minutes later for the hosts. However, it did not spark the comeback Old Trafford craved.
Rashford has nine shots - but no goals
Marcus Rashford attempted nine shots against Brighton, his most ever in a single Premier League match, and the most by a Man Utd player without scoring in the competition since Zlatan Ibrahimovic against Burnley in October 2016 (12).
Only against fierce rivals Manchester City and Liverpool have Man Utd lost four successive Premier League games, with Brighton quickly becoming their bogey team. The result sees Erik ten Hag's side drop into 12th place with six points.
Meanwhile, Brighton jump up to fourth place after a fourth win in their opening five league games this season, boosting them further ahead of their first Europa League game on Thursday.
Player ratings
Manchester United: Onana (6), Dalot (7), Lindelof (5), Martinez (5), Reguilon (7), Casemiro (6), Eriksen (7), McTominay (6), Fernandes (7), Hojlund (7), Rashford (7).
Subs: Martial (6), Hannibal (6), Garnacho (n/a), Pellistri (n/a), Wan-Bissaka (n/a).
Brighton: Steele (7), Lamptey (8), Dunk (7), Van Hecke (8), Veltman (7), Dahoud (6), Lallana (6), Gross (7), Adingra (7), Welbeck (6), Mitoma (7).
Subs: Fati (7), Pedro (7), Gilmour (6), Milner (6), Ferguson (n/a).
Player of the match: Tariq Lamptey.
Team news
Rasmus Hojlund and Sergio Reguilon made their first Man Utd starts in three changes. Scott McTominay also came into the XI, replacing Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Anthony Martial and Antony.
Brighton made six changes from the win against Newcastle. Evan Ferguson made the bench, but there was not place in the squad for Pervis Estupinan.
Bart Verbruggen, Billy Gilmour, Solly March and Joao Pedro also dropped out. Jason Steele, Tariq Lamptey, Mahmoud Dahoud, Adam Lallana, Danny Welbeck and Simon Adringra came into the XI at Old Trafford.
Man Utd ended the first with only one of their eight shots on target, and after two wasted moments from Rashford, Brighton capitalised on more lackadaisical defending to double their lead.
Lamptey's cross into the area had little conviction, but neither Lindelof nor Martinez could react in time. It allowed a waiting Gross to snatch the ball up before rifling home his seventh goal against United.
There were loud boos around Old Trafford as Hojlund was replaced by Antony Martial in the 64th minute. The afternoon deteriorated further as Brighton added a third. A far better cutback from Lamptey found an unmarked Pedro at the top of the area and it was a sweet strike that beat Onana.
Just as Man Utd fans started heading for the exits, their team pulled a goal back almost immediately. It was ultimately a speculative effort from Mejbri, who fired home into the bottom corner from 25 yards out.
But it was Brighton who could have added a few more before the end of the game. The biggest chance fell to debutant Ansu Fati, but his strike was pushed away well by Onana.
Ten Hag insists Man Utd are not in crisis despite Brighton defeat:
Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag:
"We must stick together and stick to the plan and the rules and we will turn this around.
"It bothers me [the form], but I have to see the way we play. It's about character, we have to see how strong we are and how the team sticks together. Players standing up and showing character because in all the games, especially the game today [Saturday] and against Arsenal and Forest, we have seen we can play well and create chances.
"But we also have some improvements to make and we have to step up."
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag says Danny Welbeck's goal gave Brighton the momentum they needed to win 3-1 at Old Trafford, but he believes his side will bounce back.
On the boos as Martial came on for Hojlund: "I think it was positive. You see from the fans in first moment at Old Trafford, the reception was great. Hojlund performed very well, good that they gave this signal, this message will give Rasmus belief. He came in with small issue, he's not ready for a whole game.
"If Hojlund gets injured because he is not capable to play 90 minutes, then we are much further away from where we want to go."
Ten Hag added: "The booing was because Rasmus came off. But I think Martial last year when he played, he had a positive effect on our games… when he is fit, he will contribute. He is not top fit at this moment, but he is improving. When he is 100 per cent fit, he will contribute like last season."
Neville: Big concern is this wasn't a surprise
"I've just got back from Old Trafford and you always have to be optimistic pre-match but the most concerning thing is what we ended up watching wasn't a surprise. This wasn't a lack of effort or a group of players not interested. This was a team well-beaten by opponents that were well drilled and knew what they were doing. Simple as that…
"Oh and yes the Glazers are responsible. It's how it works. You own a business and everything good and bad sits with you! They inherited the best in all areas. They've overseen 10 years of mediocrity off the pitch and on the pitch. They set the culture of greed, ill-discipline, indecision and uncertainty that runs right through the club.
"It would be best if they sold the club with some speed and efficiency and allowed at least the off the pitch items to be corrected properly that reset the tone and culture. Football is volatile so results on the pitch can be erratic and cyclical but if the off the pitch stuff including the owners direction and leadership are spot on it gives you a better chance to succeed on it."
Brighton Manager De Zerbi: "We played a good game because we have a great squad"
Roberto De Zerbi says he is proud and honoured to be Brighton's head coach following their 3-1 away win over Manchester United.
"I think we played a great game, especially in the second half. For 15 minutes at the start, we suffered a lot, the pressure, the different positions of the Man United.
"But after that, we played a good game because we have a great squad, we can change two players in every position on the pitch and without Estupinan and Solly, the characteristics change, but the quality of the players, no.
"In the second half, I think we kept the ball in a very good way, but sometimes we could have attacked with more energy. But we didn't want to concede the counter-attack, that was the focus. But we could score more goals, especially in the last 25 minutes. The goal we conceded, I didn't understand the dynamic of the goal but the result I think is true."
What's next?
Manchester United's next game is a trip to Bayern Munich on Wednesday as they begin their Champions League campaign - kick-off 8pm.
Erik ten Hag's side then return to Premier League action at Burnley on Saturday - kick-off 8pm.
Brighton's next outing is at home to AEK Athens on Thursday as they begin their Europa League campaign - kick-off 8pm.
The Seagulls then return to Premier League action at home to Bournemouth on September 24 - kick-off 2pm.
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