Brighton vs. Man United result: Red Devils set for worst ever Premier League season after latest humiliation

Will Savage

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Brighton vs. Man United result: Red Devils set for worst ever Premier League season after latest humiliation image

Manchester United continue to limp towards the end of a season that is now set to be their worst in the Premier League eras. Brighton had too much for their visitors, from the first minute to the last, as the Red Devils lost for the fifth time in a row on their travels.

Saturday's 4-0 victory was Brighton's biggest in top-flight football and the scoreline did not flatter them at all. Indeed, it could conceivably have been worse for United, who produced another candidate for their worst performance in the post-Alex Ferguson era.

Graham Potter's side started the match with aggression and intensity, and put the away team on the back foot right from the off. Although David de Gea wasn't tested too much in the opening stages, the hosts were getting the ball forward with regularity. In the end it was a shot from distance that broke the deadlock, Brighton rewarded for their fast start when Moises Caicedo drove into the bottom-left corner from the edge of the box.

The second half continued in that fashion, with Brighton getting the ball into advanced areas but failing to double their advantage. It was hard not to wonder whether Brighton would regret not scoring more: United, who brought on Fred and Edinson Cavani at half-time, would surely come out fighting.

If anything, they were even worse.

MORE: Is Ralf Rangnick staying at Man United? What will be his role at Old Trafford after this season?

It was far too simple for Leandro Trossard to lay the ball off for Marc Cucurella, after a Brighton free-kick on the opposite side, and the Spaniard smashed the ball high past De Gea to double the score. United showed signs of life, at times — Cavani tested Robert Sanchez with an acrobatic effort, and Bruno Fernandes fired a few shots from range throughout the second half — but at no point did it feel like Ralf Rangnick's side were able to match their hosts.

A quickfire double saw Brighton compound United's misery, with Pascal Gross and Trossard scoring to kill the game off. With over half an hour left, United were dead and buried. The game settled down after that, the home side content to see out their lead, although they did go close to another, with a last-ditch intervention from Diogo Dalot seeing the ball hit the outside of the post, when Alexis MacAllister looked set to score.

United had little in attack, Cristiano Ronaldo firing way off target whenever he found space to receive the ball. Fittingly, such a desperately bad result, and performance, means United are now certain to finish on their lowest points total in the Premier League era, with even a Europa League spot not guaranteed. Erik ten Hag has a lot of work ahead of him.

Brighton vs. Man United live score

  1H 2H Final
Brighton  1 4 4
Man United 0 0 0

Goals:

BRI — Trossard (Welbeck) — 59th min.

BRI — Gross (Trossard) — 57th min.

BRI —Cucurella — 48th min.

BRI — Caicedo — 16th min.

Brighton vs. Man United live updates, highlights from Premier League

Final: Brighton 4, Manchester United 0

Fulltime: The final whistle blows with the home fans singing 'Graham Potter's Barmy Army'. A terrible, terrible evening comes to a close for Manchester United

91st min: Three minutes added on here, which is three more than the away fans will want.

87th min: The game looks to be petering to a close now. Maguire has probably been United's biggest goal threat, this time latching on to a deep ball from a free kick on the right, bundling it towards goal as it floats over everyone else. The flag is up again. At the other end, the ball breaks to Danny Welbeck, in between United's midfield and defence. He drives centrally, and takes a shot from distance. The ball curls just wide of the near post.

78th min: That mini resurgence from United looks to have stalled, as Brighton keep the ball with relative ease for a few minutes.

75th min: Fernandes takes another shot from the edge of the area, but it was never really getting past Sanchez. United have showed a little more purpose in the last ten minutes, as they win another corner, but it's come far too late in the game.

74th min: United have the ball in the net, but it's quickly ruled out. Maguire rises highest from a deep corner. He heads towards goal, Sanchez pushes the ball out, back towards him. The centre back drives the ball low towards the far post. Cavani sticks a foot out and diverts it into the goal, but he was well offside, and the flag is up straight away.

71st min: Juan Mata is off for Harry Maguire, the final United change of the evening. Cristiano Ronaldo found a little space in the area, on the right hand side. A couple of stepovers, before knocking the ball to his right, makes space to shoot from a tight angle, and shot blazes will wide of the goal. It's been that kind of game for the visitors.

69th min: Adam Webster is on for Alexis MacAllister. After a United corner, Bruno Fernandes tries his luck from outside the area. His shot stings Sanchez's palms.

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66th min: Cavani forced a good save from Sanchez, with an acrobatic effort, but that's the closest United have gone all game. Up the other end, Brighton once again find it far too easy to slice through United's defence, and it takes a last ditch intervention from Dalot to divert the ball onto the post.

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59th min: GOAL!

This is a massive capitulation from United. This time Welbeck gets through on the right, again far too easily. He's closing in on goals, and chips the ball towards the far post, over the onrushing De Gea. The ball is heading in, but Trossard gets it across the line with a defender in hot pursuit.

57th min: GOAL!

That's their third, and it's so easy for Brighton. It's a long ball down the left, which Cucurella controls. He passes inside to Trossard, who is able to waltz into the United penalty area. It's easy for him to roll the ball into the path of Gross, running towards goal, and the home side are through on goal without having to work for their chance. It's a simple finish in the end.

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53rd min: There's a long way to go still in this game but, you feel if they carry on playing like this, there are more goals in this for them.

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49th min: GOAL!

It's not going any better for the Red Devils in the second half. Brighton have a throwin on the right, Alexis MacAllister takes the ball down with a great touch amidst a crowd of red shirts. The ball is driven across goal, and Trossard races onto it on the left. He has far too much time in the United area, and he picks out Cucurella making a supporting run. The left sided defender fires the ball past De Gea at his near post, high into the rood of the net.

Second half: Manchester United are making a couple of changes, with Fred and Cavani on for Matic and Elanga.

Halftime: It has been all Brighton in the first half, and Manchester United's away struggles look likely to continue, unless Ralf Rangnick can turn things around with his halftime team talk.

45th min: Cristiano Ronaldo picks up a booking. He chases down a backpass, and slides in as the Brighton defender looks to clear it. The defender instead takes a touch, and Ronaldo's momentum takes him into his opponent, without getting the ball.

44th min: There's a mixup at the back for United, following a straight, long ball. Varane looks to be guiding the ball back to David De Gea, but he plays it into the path of Danny Welbeck. He tries to lift the ball over the 'keeper, who has come out of his goal, but it comes to him too quickly just outside the area, and his attempted lob sails over the bar.

42nd min: Brighton are playing with confidence. Nemanja Matic is caught on the ball in the left back position, and gives away a free kick as he tries to win it back. It comes to nothing, but the home side look to be seeing out the half in the ascendancy.

37th min: At this point, it feels very much like Brighton should be looking to score their second. Another promising attack isn't converted, this time ending with Cucurella on the left.

34th min: Brighton win the ball high up, on the right, and smartly work the ball along the right, before Victor Lindelof has to be alert to stop a cutback reaching Danny Welbeck. The visitors are struggling to cope with the energy and movement of the home side.

30th min: Brighton are in the ascendancy once again, with Dalot having to be alert to head away a March cross, with Welbeck lurking at the far post.

27th min: United have managed to inject more tempo into their game since the goal, but Brighton have managed to hold firm. Play has stopped as Anthony Elanga receives treatment, after being caught high on the leg by Yves Bissouma.

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20th min: United have responded, somewhat. Their latest attack sees Nemanja Matic dribbles into the penalty area from the left. He opts to cut the ball back to the edge of the area, where Jaun Mata's shot is blocked by Caicedo for a corner.

16th min: GOAL!

Brighton are ahead! They've had the better of the opening 15 minutes, and they've got their reward. They get the ball into the area, but the initial shot is blocked. It comes out to Moises, left of centre, 25 yards out, and he fires a low drive that beats David De Gea at his near post.

13th min: The hosts have seen more of the ball so far, but neither 'keeper has had too much to do until this point. Brighton have had a few set pieces, but they haven't made them count yet.

6th min: There hasn't been too much action so far. Brighton had a few corners, playing a short routine from one which Victor Lindelof had to cut out.

3rd min: It is that back three shape for Brighton, with Cucurella on the left of the three, and Trossard wide on the left. The hosts have had the better of the opening few minutes.

Kickoff!

3 mins from kickoff: The teams are lined up in the tunnel now, and they'll be out on the pitch soon. Brighton haven't won at home this calendar year, and Potter's side have been better on the road than they have at home. This could be a good opportunity for them to set that right.

10 mins from kickoff: The teams have finished their warmups at the Amex Stadium, and they'll be lining up in the tunnel soon.

15 mins from kickoff: Ralf Rangnick will be hoping for an improvement in his side's away form when they get underway on the south coast, but Brighton aren't the type of side who usually give much to their opponents.

30 mins from kickoff: Graham Potter's side were expected to line up with a back three, but it could be a four. In truth, the positional versatility that's defined Brighton has made them a really tricky opponent for whoever they come up against, with the manager making tweaks to side from one game to the next.

45 mins from kickoff: United have had to tweet their lineup again, having referred to their number seven as Ronalod in their first graphic. Awkward. It'll be interesting to see how the midfield shapes up, with Mata and Fernandes both starting, while Lindelof and Varane continue as the defensive pairing.

60 mins from kickoff: The away side have announced their team, with Juan Mata getting a league start.

Team news is out for hosts, with former Red Danny Welbeck leading the line.

90 mins from kickoff: The visitors are in place on the south coast, and so are we, as The Sporting News brings you live updates from the game.

Brighton vs. Man United lineups

Brighton are without Enock Mwepu due to injury, while Jeremy Sarmiento also misses out. Tariq Lamptey was in contention to start, but only makes the bench.

Brighton lineup (3-4-2-1): Sanchez (GK) — Veltman, Dunk, Cucurella — March, Caicedo, Bissouma, Trossard — Gross, MacAllister — Welbeck

Brighton subs (9): Steele, Lamptey, Webster, Maupay, Lallana, Alzate, Duffy, Offiah, Ferguson

As far as Manchester United are concerned, Jadon Sancho is out with tonsillitis and Marcus Rashford has bronchitis, but captain Harry Maguire returns following a knee injury. Paul Pogba and Luke Shaw remain sidelined, while Eric Bailly is out with a back problem.

Manchester United lineup (4-2-3-1): De Gea (GK) — Dalot, Lindelof, Varane, Telles — McTominay, Matic — Elanga, Mata, Fernandes — Ronaldo

Manchester United subs (9): Henderson, Fernandez, Jones, Maguire, Wan-Bissaka, Fred, Lingard, Cavani, Garnacho

MORE: Is Ralf Rangnick staying at Man United? What will be his role at Old Trafford after this season?

How to watch Brighton vs. Man United

  UK USA Canada Australia
Date May 7 May 7 May 7 May 8
Time 17:30 BST 12:30 ET 12:30 ET 02:30 AEST
TV Channel Sky Sports Main Event USA Network DAZN Optus Sport
Streaming Sky Sports NBCSports.com DAZN Optus Sport

In the UK, the game will be live on Sky Sports, while in America it will be broadcast live on USA Network, with live streaming available on NBCSports.com.

DAZN will be showing the match live in Canada, while Optus Sport have broadcasting rights in Australia.

Will Savage