CRISTIANO RONALDO came off the bench to try and save Manchester United from an embarrassing home defeat to Brighton.
Pascal Gross’ brace stunned Old Trafford as familiar frailties continued from last season.
Danny Welbeck’s perfectly timed run beat the offside trap and the former United striker squared across the box for Gross to slot in at the far post for a tap-in.
Then a well-worked second goal saw David de Gea spill the ball straight into Gross’s path for an easy chance.
- Manchester United squad: De Gea, Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw, McTominay, Fred, Sancho, Eriksen, Fernandes, Rashford.
- Brighton team: Sanchez, Veltman, Dunk, Webster, March, Mac Allister, Caicedo, Trossard, Gross, Lallana, Welbeck.
- TV channel: Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Football
- Live streaming: You can stream the action live on Now TV or the Sky Go app.
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Man Utd 0-2 Brighton
58. It is the moment when Graham Potter will consider consolidating the leadership that his team has.
They have never won a league game at Old Trafford.
What a great opportunity for the South Coast team.
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Man Utd 0-2 Brighton
56. It’s a wonder football can get so wrong with video technology.
In rugby and cricket it works so perfectly.
However, the main problem seems to be the lunatics running the asylum in this case.
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Man Utd 0-2 Brighton
54. Welbeck steps on the ball and goes to ground.
The referee does not call penalty.
The replay shows the player being pushed to the ground.
The VAR decides that the check is over and it is not a penalty.
Crazy stuff, what a broken system VAR really is.
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Man Utd 0-2 Brighton
52. Ronaldo is on, replacing Fred.
Great encouragement from the home faithful.
The loudest cheer we’ve heard from them today since a handball claim when the ball hit Lallana’s chest.
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Man Utd 0-2 Brighton
50. United are already going further into this half.
Looking to put cut balls in the box.
Fernandes still seems to lack ideas when in dangerous positions.
Looks like Ronaldo will be coming to try and save the day.
Credit: Rex
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Man Utd 0-2 Brighton – Chance from Welbeck!
48. The former Man Utd striker has a chance to extend the visitors’ lead.
Again United give the ball away in their own half and Brighton take advantage.
The ball is thrown into the area but Welbeck heads it over the crossbar.
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Man Utd 0-2 Brighton
46. McTominay starts the second half still walking the tightrope of already having a yellow card.
ten Hag trusted the player to stay on the pitch.
United are pushing forward hoping to find some way back into this game.
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Kick-off: Man Utd 0-2 Brighton
We’re underway as Man Utd kick off the second half.
A huge task ahead of them right now.
Old Trafford is like a library right now.
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HT: Man Utd 0-2 Brighton
This is going to be a huge 45 minutes of football as soon as Erik ten Hag is at Old Trafford.
Whether it’s personnel changes or motivation from the side he picked early on, the second half needs a big change.
The fans need to get behind their team and try to push them to some kind of comeback.
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HT: Man Utd 0-2 Brighton
You have to ask yourself what is the problem with this Man Utd team.
A new manager often brings an alternative vision along with new tactics he wants his players to employ, but this team looks no different to the side that were beaten all too easily by teams last season.
Lisandro Martinez may be wishing he was still in Amsterdam plying his trade.
As this is the eighth manager trying to turn things around for the better at Old Trafford, at some point you have to start pointing the finger at the players.
Credit: Rex
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HT: Man Utd 0-2 Brighton
Erik ten Hag will not be enjoying his first game in his new job at the moment as his full-back remains at Brighton at the break.
Graham Potter’s team have done everything asked of them and have been in complete control.
Great team talk at half time required by Ten Hag to get his team back into this game.
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Yellow card for Man Utd 0-2 Brighton – Martinez
45+2. March seems to break and is dragged to the ground.
There is no discussion of the yellow card.
Not the milestone the debutant was looking for today.
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Man Utd 0-2 Brighton
45. United are trying to create something to pull a goal back before the break.
The ball falls to Eriksen in the box but his attempted backheel finds no teammate.
It all seems a bit disconnected from ten Hag’s team.
We will add another two minutes.
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Man Utd 0-2 Brighton
43. Brighton fans start chanting “Let’s win the league!”
ten Hag sends Ronaldo to start warming up.
The problems for the home side so far seem to be more than creating chances in the final third.
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Man Utd 0-2 Brighton
41. Lallana receives the ball in the center of the park.
He feeds it outside to March who cuts to his left foot and gets his shot wide.
De Gea saves but can only palm it towards the back post where Gross reacts before Fred to poke the ball home.
Credit: Getty
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Goal – Pascal Gross (Brighton)
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Man Utd 0-1 Brighton
39. A rare United attack leaves them running out of ideas.
When Brighton get behind the ball, the hosts look out of ideas to break them down.
Brighton have a chance to counter after winning the ball back.
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Man Utd 0-1 Brighton
37. McTominay faces challenges here.
Ten Hag may have to consider taking him off at halftime.
With the player on a yellow card, if he continues with it, he will surely be given his marching orders at some point in this game.
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Man Utd 0-1 Brighton
35. When talking about United today and who will lead the line for them up front, not many considered a former player coming back to haunt them.
Danny Welbeck has been the shining light of the game so far.
He’s causing United’s backline all sorts of problems.
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Man Utd 0-1 Brighton
33. It is a trial start for the new manager.
ten Hag looks bewildered, slumped in her seat.
Potter stands on the sidelines and barks his orders at his players.
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Man Utd 0-1 Brighton
31. Danny Welbeck doing well down the left side.
He beats Martínez and looks to square the ball in the six-yard box for Lallana.
The ex-Liverpool man can’t reach it, but Pascal Gross is at the back post to poke the ball home.
Credit: Rex
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Goal – Pascal Gross (Brighton)
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Man Utd 0-0 Brighton
29. Gross takes a corner for the visitors.
He finds Dunk in the box but the Brighton defender gets right under him.
The ball goes well over the crossbar.
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Yellow card for Manchester United 0-0 Brighton – McTominay
27. The Man Utd midfielder can count himself lucky.
Losing possession and following his challenge against Caicedo.
The VAR deems the yellow card sufficient but the initial connection was very high from McTominay.
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Man Utd 0-0 Brighton
25. The keeper clears the ball for Brighton and with a light touch passes to Welbeck.
He manages to run clean but the referee whistles for offside.
That was very close.
More of the inconsistency of our officials as they are supposed to let the game go in tight decisions like this for the VAR to check after the event.
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