Brighton & Hove Albion 3-2 Manchester United: Hits and flops from the game
Brighton stunned a dire Manchester United side for the second time in as many seasons at the Amex Stadium to secure their first points of the new Premier League campaign.
A smart finish by Glenn Murray with the outside of his boot gave the Seagulls a deserved lead. Within moments, centre-back Shane Duffy scored his first ever Premier League goal amidst non-existent United defending to double the advantage.
Chris Hughton’s side were briefly pegged back by Romelu Lukaku’s header, only for Pascal Gross to convert from the penalty spot seconds before half-time after the German was fouled by Eric Bailly.
Despite Paul Pogba’s injury-time spot-kick, a poor United – who hardly tested Mathew Ryan in the opposite goal - succumbed to defeat which was met with rapturous celebrations across the Amex Stadium.
Here are the various hits and flops from the game.
#1 Flop: United's centre-back pairing, Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof
Eric Bailly had one of his worst games in a United shirt, making one individual error after the other to hand the initiative to the hosts. The Ivorian defender’s carelessness on the ball soon after Brighton opened the scoring proved to be a major ingredient of the recipe called disaster, as the subsequent corner was turned in by Duffy for United to slump to a 2-0 deficit.
A silly challenge on Pascal Gross to concede a penalty burst the brief balloon of optimism blown by Lukaku’s goal to bring his side back in the game. A loss of concentration at the beginning of the second half nearly sent a Brighton player through on goal, while his clearances were weak and hardly enough to give United any attacking onus.
His partner at the back, Victor Lindelof was equally accountable as the duo leaving oceans of space every time Brighton brought the ball forward. The ease with which the likes of Glenn Murray and Gross were able to get in behind the duo was shocking to watch from a United perspective. Will Jose stick with the faltering duo when they face Spurs at home next Monday?