Some reaction from Old Trafford:
Jamie Jackson was at Old Trafford tonight. Here’s his report. Thanks for reading this MBM.
Ruben Amorim talks to Sky. “I feel good … three points at home … we played well … we suffered in the end … a little bit our fault … the first goal … [United] did everything … they run … played with the ball … kicked the ball when it was needed … so it was a good game … [Brighton] have a lot of talent … they used momentum [after scoring] to control the game … we are improving in the way we respond to bad moments … after the third goal the noise of the stadium was not normal! … it was the first time I felt that sound … it was a very good moment for me … there are some things in this club, this stadium that you feel and that was really strange … we enjoy today but tomorrow we prepare the other one … look at the table, two weeks can change everything, one week can change everything … it’s so hard to get good feelings … so we have to have that fear of returning … enjoy the week but work really hard to prepare the next one … [the forward players] have a lot of talent but I really like the way they defend … Bryan [Mbeumo] is a working machine … we can have all the talent in the world but if you don’t fight in this league you have no chance.”
Fabian Hürzeler speaks to Sky. “Disappointed … we gave too many easy balls away … conceded the goals too easy … when you do too many mistakes, you can’t win the football game … we had a good plan … it was the execution … finding the free team-mate … that is something we lacked today … we have to be honest with ourselves and make it better … it is important to show personality … never give up … we have that in our team … believe … we created chances … it was just about execution … long-term the results will come.”
He’s asked about the Dorgu-Minteh challenge – should Dorgu have been red carded? - but doesn’t bite. “No … they explained the rule … we have to accept the rule ... that was not the reason we lost.”
United’s two-goal hero Bryan Mbeumo speaks to Sky Sports. “The result was very important … three wins in a row … great for the confidence of the team … we played a great game … we are a bit disappointed to concede two goals but the most important thing is the win and we did it … it feels so good … the atmosphere is crazy here … the fans are unbelievable … it is always good to score goals but especially here.”
Old Trafford erupts in joy relief. Then joy. Manchester United made hard work of a game that looked in the bag. Hats off to Brighton for clawing their way back into it, perhaps helped by Ruben Amorim going a tad early with his game-over substitutions. And for the second week in a row, the removal of Casemiro caused United’s midfield to become overrun. But for the second week in a row, United came away with the three points anyway, and you’ve got to take your hat off to them as well, for responding so staunchly after conceding Brighton’s second. The folk in the stands may have been nervous, as an epic comeback momentarily looked on the cards, but the home team responded magnificently to pin Brighton up the other end, finally sealing the deal through Bryan Mbeumo, who is proving to be quite the signing. See also: Matheus Cunha. And, over the longer haul: Bruno Fernandes. People were beginning to mutter about Ruben Amorim’s job security not so long ago. Well, now look.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 8 | 12 | 19 |
| 2 | Sunderland | 9 | 4 | 17 |
| 3 | Man City | 8 | 11 | 16 |
| 4 | Man Utd | 9 | 1 | 16 |
| 5 | AFC Bournemouth | 8 | 3 | 15 |
Updated
FULL TIME: Manchester United 4-2 Brighton & Hove Albion
It’s three Premier League wins in a row for Manchester United!
GOAL! Manchester United 4-2 Brighton & Hove Albion (Mbeumo 90+7)
Mainoo sends a pass-cum-clearance down the middle. Fernandes dummies it, matador style, releasing Mbeumo down the inside-left channel. Mbeumo sends a diagonal screamer across Verbruggen and into the top right! Panic over!
Updated
90 min +6: Since Brighton’s second, United have played nearly all of the game in their opponents’ half. And …
90 min +5: Tzimas needlessly chops down Fernandes, who was going nowhere and is only too happy to take the hit. From the resulting free kick, Fernandes hammers a shot goalwards from a tight angle on the right, but can’t force the ball past Verbruggen.
90 min +4: The tension in Old Trafford could be sliced and diced. Mbeumo takes some of the pressure off by dribbling down the right, teasing Kadioglu into a foul that earns the Brighton man a booking.
GOAL! Manchester United 3-2 Brighton & Hove Albion (Kostoulas 90+2)
Kadioglu drives down the left and rolls infield for Kostoulas, whose snapshot is deflected wide right. Milner swings the corner in, and Kostoulas flicks a header home. Game on! Amorim knew it.
Updated
90 min: There will be seven additional minutes. Ruben Amorim doesn’t look particularly pleased, the colour slightly draining from his face as he spots the number. He’s certainly not assuming this is over, two-goal advantage or not.
89 min: Fernandes knocks the ball past Dunk and backs himself in a footrace down the right. He beats Dunk but can’t get past Milner. This game is now preposterously open, with Brighton in defence-lite Kitchen Sink mode.
88 min: Welbeck shifts the ball from right to left, across the face of the United box, but can’t make space for a shot. The ball’s laid back to Kadioglu, who aims a rising shot towards the top-left corner from distance. Lammens turns it around the post, and nothing comes of the resulting corner.
87 min: One last throw of the dice for Brighton, who send on Tzimas in place of Wieffer.
85 min: United are sitting back in the compact style. Brighton are still enjoying all of the ball, but since that double-sub, they can’t find any space in the final third. Home panic over?
83 min: Brighton have enjoyed 76 percent of possession since Welbeck’s goal.
82 min: United make another double change. Ugarte and Zirkzee come on for Sesko – who had been staring at Van Hecke as he made the challenge that got him booked, and can count himself a wee bit fortunate – and Cunha.
81 min: Sesko is booked for whacking Van Hecke under the chin with his elbow as the pair contest a high ball.
79 min: Kostoulas comes on for Rutter.
78 min: Minteh dribbles in from the right. He’s got enough time to shape a shot around Dorgu, but sends it miles wide left. Brighton fancy their chances of getting back into this properly.
77 min: Brighton are suddenly first to everything. United are holding their shape for now. But a game that looked utterly over a few minutes back suddenly doesn’t feel quite as done and dusted.
76 min: … and now there’s a brief game of pinball in the United box before a United defender blasts clear. Nerves palpable in Old Trafford all of a sudden, with the Brighton fans in good voice.
75 min: The game would certainly have been back on had Watson’s whack from the edge of the box found the net. As it is, Lammens claims.
GOAL! Manchester United 3-1 Brighton & Hove Albion (Welbeck 74)
After a long touchline debate over the challenge – Free kick or no? Red card or no? – Welbeck steps up to take the resulting free kick in a central postion. He aims for the top-left corner. He doesn’t quite get there, but the ball whistles past Lammens’ hand anyway and in. Game back on?
Updated
72 min: … Brighton break upfield through Minteh, who breaks clear of Dorgu! But he takes a heavy touch, which flies through towards Lammens. Minteh slows up and is clipped by Dorgu. Brighton want a red card, but it’s just a yellow. Given Minteh had clearly lost possession of the ball, with Lammens about to claim, Brighton are fortunate to get the free kick. But they wanted the red card. However from the resulting set piece …
71 min: Yet another loose Brighton pass. Dunk ships possession to Fernandes, just to the left of the box. Fernandes crosses low for Mbeumo, whose drive hits the base of the left-hand post and out for a … corner? The keeper must have got a nick. From the set piece …
70 min: United make a double change. Dorgu and Mainoo come on for Diallo and Casemiro.
68 min: Brighton have had 56 percent of possession tonight. Much good that’s done them.
66 min: Milner, dropping deep, nearly releases Watson with a long pass down the inside left. Yoro does just enough to put Watson off, and the Brighton player isn’t able to control. Had Watson done so, he’d have been clear on goal. As it is, he falls over.
65 min: Shaw makes way for Heaven. There’s a Maria McKee line in there somewhere, but I can’t find it at such short notice.
63 min: The home fans break into a loud rendition of their Bonnie Tyler song. Music to the ears of the United manager, but it’s a heartache for Brighton.
61 min: Shaw had a handful of Rutter’s shirt earlier in the move, and VAR has a quick look. You’ve seen goals chalked off for less; it would have been a soft foul, too, and both things can be true at once. Either way, the goal stands.
GOAL! Manchester United 3-0 Brighton & Hove Albion (Mbeumo 61)
Sesko rolls a pass down the inside-right for Mbeumo, who takes a touch back infield and fires a shot between the legs of Dunk and into the bottom-right corner. Game over!
Updated
60 min: Brighton make a triple change, replacing De Cuyper and the extremely underwhelming pair of Baleba and Ayari with Watson, Milner and Gomez.
59 min: This is better from Minteh, who curls in low from the right. The ball makes its way through a crowded box and heads towards the bottom left. Lammens gets a finger on the ball to guide it wide. That might have been heading in. It certainly should have been a corner, but Brighton don’t get one, and Lammens is quite happy not to get any credit for his work.
58 min: Minteh has a couple of opportunities to advance towards the United box down the right. Both times he turns tail.
56 min: Another difficult moment for Ayari, who first is nutmegged by Mbeumo in the centre circle. Then seconds later he slaps a pass out of defence straight at Sesko, who is able to have a dig from distance. It’s not a good effort, straight at Verbruggen, who parries. Brighton, one ten-minute spell very early on apart, have been poor this evening.
54 min: The game drifts on. United perfectly content with this state of affairs. “Wonder if Baleba’s poor performance is connected to his taken-down social media post before the game that said ‘welcome to Old Trafford’?” wonders Kevin Wilson. “It might be easier to impress your next club by playing well against them rather than badly.”
52 min: As the side trailing, Brighton needed to come out for the second half flying. They’ve not done that. United look pretty comfortable here.
50 min: Dalot finds himself in acres down the left. His cross, intended for Mbeumo, in similar space on the other side, is no use whatsoever, but the flag then pops up for offside so all blushes are spared.
48 min: United hunt in packs for a third that would surely put this game to bed. Red shirts swarm into the Brighton box. Diallo and Cunha take turns to jink elegantly. Fernandes has a dig that Verbruggen does well to claw away from the right-hand side of the net.
Updated
47 min: Sesko nearly releases Mbeumo down the inside-right channel by extending a long leg towards a loose ball. Nearly, not quite. Brighton go up the other end, Baleba ballooning a speculative shot miles over the bar. Baleba’s been long linked with a move to Old Trafford; if he wants such a move, he’s not doing himself many favours tonight.
Brighton get the ball rolling fort the second half. No changes. Brighton have quite the task ahead of them: United have never lost in the Premier League at Old Trafford having been two goals up at half-time.
Half-time postbag long reads. “The NBC broadcast here in the States showed a couple of angles, and it appeared to me, at least, that Casemiro had put some bend on it and it would likely have been on net. It also appeared that the keeper had it covered, diving to his left. Either way, fair to say the ball is bouncing United’s way of late. All that said, I still miss Fred” – Kevin Cullen
“I don’t think it’s a ‘hot take’ to suggest that Bruno Fernandes is a hard player to like, unless he plays for a team you support. But, club rivalry aside, he’s clearly a fantastic footballer who would walk into almost any side in the world. 300 appearances for United is staggering, considering the quality of some of the players around him. This is going to sound patronising, but I mean it completely sincerely; I genuinely feel sad for him that he spent his peak years in that United team. He could have achieved so much more. His loyalty and patience are clear to see, but his mantelpiece should surely have a load more trophies on it. I hope United know how lucky they’ve been to have him for so long. There have been dark times in recent years, but how much darker would they have been without Fernandes?” – Matt Dony
Half-time entertainment. This won’t improve the mood of you Brighton fans.
HALF TIME: Manchester United 2-0 Brighton & Hove Albion
During the closing moments of the half, Sesko could have made it 3-0, and Rutter could have made it 2-1. As it stands, here we are. The small margins. United go off to a warm ovation. Their revival continues apace.
Updated
45 min +1: De Cuyper has a shy at goal from the left of the United D. He miskicks, but his effort finds Rutter onm the right-hand edge of the six-yard box. Totally free! He totally misses the ball! A huge chance.
45 min: There will be one minute of additional time.
44 min: Fernandes spins around Van Decke and down the inside left with indecent ease, rolling infield for Mbeumo, who releases Sesko into the box down the left channel. A lovely zig-zagging move, but Sesko blazes over. The move deserved a third goal, the finish most certainly did not.
43 min: Wieffer has the opportunity to release Kadioglu into space down the right, but overcooks the pass. Out for a goal kick. United were light at the back there. Brighton have found themselves in a couple of good positions, but their work in the final third has been sorely lacking.
42 min: Diallo skelps a clearance upfield. Mbeumo makes something out of nothing with a first touch and spin around Dunk, racing into space down the middle. Baleba brings him down cynically and earns his third booking of the season.
40 min: Shaw gets away with an overly cute clearance that’s blocked by Kadioglu, the ball squirting out for a goal kick just before the Brighton man can claim it and advance towards the box.
38 min: Apparently the Premier League have awarded United’s second goal to Casemiro. The shot was clearly going wide right, but that’s how they see it.
37 min: Ayari tries to make up for his unfortunate intervention by shooting from the right-hand edge of the United D. There’s another deflection, but only for a corner, which leads to nothing.
36 min: Leading up to that goal, Van Hecke put his team-mates into all sorts of trouble with a misplaced pass out from the back. Not for the first time this evening, Brighton have made a meal of playing out of defence.
GOAL! Manchester United 2-0 Brighton & Hove Albion (Ayari og 34)
Casemiro shoots from 25 yards, towards the right-hand side of the net. The ball pings off Ayari, and bounces apologetically into the bottom left, Verbruggen wrong-footed and now rooted. Casemiro celebrates what he thinks is his second goal of the campaign, but his shot was off-target and will go down as an own goal.
Updated
33 min: Diallo gets the better of De Cuyper down the right and enters the box. He should keep going but can’t decide whether to shoot or look for a team-mate in the middle, and the chance is gone.
32 min: United re-establish some control after a sloppy couple of minutes.
30 min: Minteh zips away from a flailing Yoro down the inside-left channel. He dribbles into the box, sits Shaw down, and has time to shoot … but decides to throw one shape too many, and is eventually crowded out. Cunha, sliding in from behind, wisely aborts his mission just before making contact that would surely lead to a penalty.
28 min: De Cuyper and Kadioglu combine to win Brighton another corner down the right. The set piece is power-cleared by the head of Casemiro.
27 min: … and that early Welbeck-Mintah quick-break seems an awfully long time ago now. “I can’t work out what’s more criminal,” begins Andy Bradshaw, “Mintah missing that chance or being offside when he was completely in the clear and could see exactly where the pass was going to come from.”
26 min: That’s the reward for an intense period of United pressure. United have responded well to Brighton responding well to United starting well. Old Trafford bouncing!
GOAL! Manchester United 1-0 Brighton & Hove Albion (Cunha 24)
United keep Brighton pressed back. Sesko, Ferdandes and Casemiro combine to tee up Cunha by the left-hand edge of the six-yard box. Cunha opens his body and whips a lovely low curler across Verbruggen and into the bottom right!
Updated
22 min: Van Hecke plays a hospital pass across the face of his own box, intended for Dunk. Mbeumo gets in first, but instead of heading into the box, flops over. He wants a penalty, but for a start he wasn’t in the penalty area. He also went over very easily. Old Trafford not happy. But never mind, because …
21 min: … Lammens claim with confidence. It’s been a strong start to the young goalkeeper’s Manchester United career.
20 min: Rutter swivels away from a pincer movement by Shaw and Dalot, making ground down the right. He enters the box. De Ligt is forced to come across and hack out for a corner, which sees …
18 min: Cunha, dropping deep, whips a vicious dipping cross in from the left. It whistles through a crowded box and nearly nestles in the bottom right, but sails just wide. Verbruggen had it covered, to be fair.
16 min: Diallo dribbles into the Brighton box from the right. De Cuyper hangs out a leg, attempting to clear with a back-heel. (!) The United man goes over. The crowd scream for a penalty, but they’re not getting one, because the Brighton player got a touch on the ball before the man. VAR agrees. United come again, Cunha shooting towards the bottom right from long range. Verbruggen is up to the task and parries. That’s all got United going after a sluggish few minutes for the home side.
Updated
15 min: Rutter romps down the left before cutting back for Welbeck, who flips a first-time shot towards the top left. He doesn’t quite catch it. Lammens claims. Fernandes, tracking back, did just enough to put Welbeck off.
14 min: Yoro sprays a simple pass intended for Diallo out of play on the right. After a couple of promising early sorties, United have struggled to find their rhythm.
12 min: Lammens comes to the edge of his box, claiming another speculative long pass down the left. Brighton have targeted the flanks. They’re on top right now.
11 min: De Cuyper releases Minteh into space down the left, and with options in the middle. United are extremely fortunate that Minteh air-scuffs his attempted cross.
10 min: De Cuyper’s free kick is half-cleared by De Ligt. Kadioglu tries to return the ball with feeling, but his shot from the edge of the box is weak and dribbles well wide left. But this is a confident start by Brighton. Confident enough to have limited the volume within Old Trafford significantly.
9 min: Another simple flick down the right puts United in all sorts of bother. Ayari gets ahead of Yoro, whose light shove from behind is enough encouragement for the Brighton player to fall. A free kick just to the right of the United box. Everyone piles into the mixer.
7 min: Welbeck spins De Ligt with outrageous ease down the Brighton right. He storms off down the wing and slips a pass infield for Minteh, who should slot from 12 yards, but flicks harmlessly wide left. Turns out he was offside anyway, but what a miss.
6 min: United are enjoying the lion’s share during these opening exchanges. Brighton seem happy enough to sit back and see what’s what, though.
4 min: Mbeumo gets involved again, slipping a pass down the inside-right channel for Cunha, who slices an effort from a tight angle into the side netting. The move began when Dunk played out from the back to Baleba, who had his back turned on play. Fernandes and Casemiro swarmed to get things going for the hosts. Careless by Baleba.
Updated
2 min: Both teams spend a little time getting to know the ball. Meanwhile here’s a pre-match prediction from Bob Bummer Kári Tulinius: “This game fills me with trepidation. When Brighton play to their full potential, their football is beautiful, but when United are at their best, they’re horrible to play against. I fear that Amorim will find a way to turn this match into beige sludge.”
35 secs: Mbeumo loops a cross in from the right. Fernandes wafts a header wide right. A bit more pace on either and United were off to a flyer.
Everyone takes a knee to send out the message that there’s No Room For Racism … then the hosts kick off. Brighton are kicking towards the Stretford End in this first half.
The teams are out! Manchester United in red, Brighton in blue and white stripes. This Is The One, as some local Byrds derivatives would have it. We’ll be off in a minute. (Incidentally, on the pitch a few minutes earlier, Gary Neville was handed a trinket by his boyhood hero Bryan Robson in honour of his becoming the 25th inductee of the Premier League Hall of Fame.)
Fabian Hürzeler (32) talks to Sky about his striker Danny Welbeck (35 next month). “We go in every game with a lot of self-belief … confidence … individual quality … team quality … that’s the approach today … we believe to win it … the past speaks for us but it is a new game … a new challenge … start from point zero … do the basic things right and we have a chance to win it … courage … try to control the opponent in possession … defence … intensity against the ball … [Welbeck] is getting better and better … like a really good wine, the older he gets, the better he gets … the work he does in the shadow … a great connector … brings the different cultures together … the different ages together … so crucial … so, so impressive.”
Amorim: Maguire hopefully back next week
Ruben Amorim speaks to Sky Sports. “At this kind of club it doesn’t matter the last game, it’s the next one … today we have a different game … still with the responsibility of winning, of performing … we had some issues at Anfield … we know that … we don’t try to hide all of the things with a win … we worked during the week … we want to perform better this week … different game, different characteristics … we should use the squad … nowadays you don’t know the best XI … it depends on the opponent, the moment … I hope to have Harry [Maguire] next week … it’s a simple thing but I don’t like to take risks … everyone is important … [Matheus Cunha] is a maverick … he needs to improve the way he defends.”
Updated
The 3pm kick-offs have finished. What a day it’s been for our friends in the north, as Newcastle beat Fulham 2-1 at St James’ Park, while Sunderland shock Chelsea by the same scoreline at Stamford Bridge to rise to second place. Billy Munday has the details in Clockwatch. None of that has any bearing on Manchester United or Brighton, who remain where they were this morning. Both teams can move into fourth for a couple of hours at least with a win at Old Trafford tonight. Sunderland in second, though!
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 8 | 12 | 19 |
| 2 | Sunderland | 9 | 4 | 17 |
| 3 | Man City | 8 | 11 | 16 |
| 4 | AFC Bournemouth | 8 | 3 | 15 |
| 5 | Liverpool | 8 | 3 | 15 |
| 6 | Tottenham Hotspur | 8 | 7 | 14 |
| 7 | Chelsea | 9 | 6 | 14 |
| 8 | Crystal Palace | 8 | 4 | 13 |
| 9 | Man Utd | 8 | -1 | 13 |
| 10 | Brighton | 8 | 1 | 12 |
| 11 | Newcastle | 9 | 1 | 12 |
| 12 | Aston Villa | 8 | 0 | 12 |
| 13 | Everton | 8 | 0 | 11 |
| 14 | Leeds | 9 | -5 | 11 |
| 15 | Brentford | 8 | -1 | 10 |
| 16 | Fulham | 9 | -5 | 8 |
| 17 | Burnley | 8 | -6 | 7 |
| 18 | Nottm Forest | 8 | -10 | 5 |
| 19 | West Ham | 9 | -13 | 4 |
| 20 | Wolverhampton | 8 | -11 | 2 |
Pre-match patter. Ruben Amorim doesn’t much care for the opinions of Arne Slot …
… but Danny Welbeck is highly concerned with the thought processes of Thomas Tuchel. Jamie Jackson and John Brewin take turns to investigate.
Manchester United make two changes in the wake of their 2-1 win at Anfield last weekend. Benjamin Šeško comes in for Mason Mount, who drops to the bench, while last week’s win-securing hero Harry Maguire doesn’t feature at all, Leny Yoro taking his place in defence. Maguire picked up an injury during training this week. Tyrell Malacia is named in a Premier League squad for the first time this season.
Brighton & Hove Albion make one change after their 2-1 home win over Newcastle. It’s ostensibly a defensive one, swapping in Maxim De Cuyper for Diego Gómez, who drops to the bench. Danny Welbeck, a member of the last Manchester United squad to win the Premier League, in 2012-13, returns to Old Trafford on a hot streak of four goals in three games, one more than he’d managed in his previous 15.
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The teams
Manchester United: Lammens, Yoro, de Ligt, Shaw, Diallo, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dalot, Mbeumo, Cunha, Sesko.
Subs: Bayindir, Mazraoui, Mount, Zirkzee, Malacia, Dorgu, Ugarte, Heaven, Mainoo.
Brighton & Hove Albion: Verbruggen, Wieffer, van Hecke, Dunk, Kadioglu, Baleba, Ayari, Minteh, Rutter, De Cuyper, Welbeck.
Subs: Steele, Tzimas, Watson, Kostoulas, Milner, Boscagli, Gomez, Coppola, Oriola.
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire).
VAR: Michael Oliver (Northumberland).
Updated
Preamble
Manchester United, having just beaten Sunderland and Liverpool, look to make it three Premier League wins on the bounce this evening. The wind’s behind them under Ruben Amorim for the very first time! Only problem is, their visitors tonight are Brighton & Hove Albion, who have won on each of their last three trips to Old Trafford, and six of the last seven League meetings between the clubs. Never mind the wind behind; for the Seagulls, it’s been a breeze. Having said all that, Brighton are otherwise as gloriously unpredictable as their hosts, so this game is both fascinating and potentially rollickingly good entertainment. Kick-off is at 5.30pm (and we say this for the last time in a while, because remember the clocks fall back tonight, kids) BST. It’s on!
