United team traditionally do but this United team did not. They do not have enough fibre for that. Occasionally it can happen, as it did at Manchester City last season. But that was freakish while what we saw here was more representative of this vastly-diminished football club. Brighton began this game knowing they had beaten United narrowly on this ground back in May and while they had improved their squad since then their opponents largely had not.
So while they won last season on the back of hard work and organisation, they did so this time just by being the better team.
The goals all came in the first half. Brighton scored a quick fire double through Glenn Murray and the outstanding Shane Duffy and after Romelu Lukaku had pulled a goal back for United Chris Hughton’s team extended their lead again through a Pascal Gross penalty. Their defensive partnership of Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof was abysmal all day. Mourinho signed both of them so no wonder his chief executive Ed Woodward is wary of giving him money for another.
Elsewhere, meanwhile, United were pretty feckless against the neatness and sharpness of Brighton’s play.Between Lukaku’s goal in the 34th minute and a long shot from Pogba with 15 minutes left – a period of 41 minutes – Brighton goalkeeper Mat Ryan did not make a single save against a United team that quite simply looks to have fallen out of love with playing this game.
Throughout the first half, there was a pattern that repeated so often it was extraordinary that United could not take steps to interrupt it. Time and again, Brighton played balls from deep in to the channels just inside the United full-backs and time and time again they caused their opponents problems.Mourinho’s team were all at sea by the sea while Brighton were buoyant. Out of the blue, United grabbed a goal back as Luke Shaw volleyed a loose ball in to the ground and up for Lukaku to head in from eight yards.
But instead of settling things down, United continued to play recklessly. Pogba was left on his backside by Anthony Knockaert as he attempted a pirouette on the far side before Anthony Martial was booked for a needless foul.
And, just when half-time was almost upon us, United folded again. They lost possession cheaply in centre field and then conceded a penalty so needless as to be ridiculous.
Murray was clear on goal but his touch was so heavy the danger had gone. Still Bailly decided to slide in and when he brought Murray down unnecessarily Gross converted a penalty that De Gea looked to have saved only for the ball to cannon off his leg up in to the roof off the net.
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