Brighton defeat Manchester United: Key talking points
In one of the biggest upsets of 2018/19 season, Jose Mourinho's Manchester United faced a humiliating loss at the hands of Brighton and Hope Albion. However, the United fans who saw the performance, they would agree that Brighton were the deserving winners. United were uninspiring on all fronts as they lost the match 2-3. Here are the major takeaways from the match.
Mourinho has lost the respect of his players
Jose Mourinho has been known as someone who causes implosions within his own dressing room. This might be the reason United players are not willing to give their 100 percent for him. United looked like a joyless group of players who were on the field just because they had to. Even a talented player like Anthony Martial wants to leave United now.
Manchester United barely had any fruitful strategy
Long gone are the days of park-the-bus when defensive football and a tall center forward would do the job for you. United, for a significant length of the match, played long balls in hope of the passes reaching their forwards. There was no build-up play from the mid-field whatsoever and players like Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez looked lost as well.
Kudos to Brighton on their amazing football
Even though Manchester United weren't at their best, to defeat them is a big feat for Brighton. Brighton took control of the game from the kick-off and kept the Red Devils under pressure. They were better in attack, penetrating United's defense with ease and Anthony Knockaert brought in the unpredictability factor. They kept pressing high up in the second half as well.
United are in for big trouble if this form continues
The season has just started and Mourinho has time to instil some life into his players for the long road ahead. If this form continues, United might find it hard to finish in the top four. David de Gea needs to up his game as he looked like a shadow of his former self. The next match against Tottenham will be crucial for United.
