"They have looked the better side" - Mark Lawrenson remains unimpressed with Manchester United, hails Brighton despite loss at Old Trafford
Brighton & Hove Albion were the better team despite losing to Manchester United 2-0 on Tuesday, according to BBC pundit Mark Lawrenson. The Seagulls were down to 10 men in the second half of the encounter.
Speaking on BBC 5Live radio (via Pundit Arena) following the game at Old Trafford, Lawrenson praised Brighton's efforts and said:
“Brighton have played very, very well. They have looked the better side even though Manchester United look like going away with the points.”
Manchester United secured a much-needed win against Brighton after their two-game winless run in the Premier League. Goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes were enough for the Red Devils to clinch all three points on the night. It is worth mentioning that Ronaldo's goal was his first in seven outings for the Old Trafford outfit across all competitions.
However, Manchester United were extremely lucky not to concede a goal. Brighton attacker Jakub Moder had two great opportunities to score but failed to do so. The 22-year-old was first denied by David De Gea after his header was saved at point-blank range. He later hit the crossbar from a long-range effort.
🗣️ — Graham Potter on Brighton's performance:
“Our first half was good, if it was 11 v 11 it would have been a more interesting second half and we were always in the game. De Gea pulled off a good save off Moder in the first half so we had our moments.” #mujournal
[@BBCSport]
Despite their loss, the Seagulls are still inside the top half of the Premier League table. They are currently ninth in the standings, having picked up 33 points from 24 matches.
Manchester United are back in the top four of the Premier League
Following their win against Brighton, Manchester United are back in the top four of the Premier League. The Red Devils recently fell out of the Champions League places following draws with Burnley and Southampton.
As things stand, Ralf Rangnick's side are fourth in the standings, having accumulated 43 points from 25 matches. They are currently two points clear of fifth-placed West Ham United.
However, it is worth mentioning that both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have a better chance of breaking inside the top four.
The Gunners are a mere four points behind the Red Devils and have three games in hand over them. Meanwhile, Spurs have three games in hand and are seven points behind the Manchester giants.
Goals from @Cristiano and @B_Fernandes8 gives us all three points! 👏
#MUFC | #MUNBHA
The Red Devils will next travel to Elland Road to face rivals Leeds United in the Premier League on February 20th. They also have a UEFA Champions League Round-of-16 clash against Atletico Madrid on February 23rd.