Manchester United’s Struggles Continue with Predictable Loss to Brighton

Manchester United’s Struggles Continue with Predictable Loss to Brighton

MANCHESTER, England — In what has become an all-too-familiar scene for Manchester United fans, the Red Devils suffered a 3-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday. The most shocking part? It wasn’t shocking at all. For those who caught United’s performance against Southampton, the Premier League’s bottom team, on Thursday, the writing was on the wall. Despite rallying to a 3-1 win against Southampton, the cracks were evident, and Brighton capitalized on them at Old Trafford.

Brighton, who had only won one of their last nine league games, didn’t need to be extraordinary to secure the victory. They were efficient, scoring three goals from just three shots on target. United’s goalkeeper, André Onana, who was stellar against Southampton, had a day to forget, gifting Brighton their third goal with a blunder that summed up United’s afternoon.

Manager Ruben Amorim, who has been shouldering the blame for United’s poor run, was candid in his post-match comments. “We have to acknowledge the moment and not go around the problem,” he said. “Everybody here is underperforming; no matter what the circumstances, we are underperforming and have to accept that.”

Amorim’s honesty is refreshing, but the issues at United run deeper than just the manager. Brighton’s recent success at Old Trafford, winning their past three games there under different managers, highlights a systemic problem that Amorim has inherited.

Brighton’s Confidence and United’s Woes

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler expressed no surprise at the result. “We haven’t been getting the results that maybe we deserved,” he said. “We had a very mature performance. We controlled the game and created chances. The guys looked quite confident on the pitch.”

United, on the other hand, managed just one shot on target, a first-half penalty from Bruno Fernandes. It marked the first time in nine years that United failed to have a shot on target from open play in a league match at Old Trafford. The defeat was their sixth home Premier League loss of the season, a record not seen since the 1893-94 season when they were known as Newton Heath.

Amorim’s Record and United’s Future

Amorim has now lost seven of his first 15 games in charge, a record not seen since Jimmy Murphy’s brief tenure after the Munich air disaster in 1958. “We have to understand we are breaking all the bad records,” Amorim said. “The opponents are better than us in many details. It’s a hard moment, you have to acknowledge that we are in a very difficult situation.”

Since taking over from Erik ten Hag in November, Amorim’s team has taken 11 points from 11 league games, leaving them 13th in the table, just five places and 10 points above the relegation zone. With upcoming games against teams like Fulham, Crystal Palace, Tottenham, Everton, and Ipswich Town, United’s position could worsen if they continue to drop points.

• United’s recent victories include wins against Manchester City and Arsenal.
• They have drawn with Liverpool but suffered losses to Nottingham Forest, AFC Bournemouth, and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
• Amorim’s team has struggled against lower-ranked teams, a worrying trend for the club.

Before the match, United paid tribute to Denis Law, their legendary former striker who died aged 84 on Friday. Law’s legacy stands in stark contrast to the current team’s struggles, a point Amorim acknowledged in his post-match conference. “We are the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United,” he said. “In [the past] 10 games in Premier League, we won three. We need to survive now.”

As United focus on survival, fans are left hoping for a turnaround in fortunes. But for now, the team continues to do what everyone expected: lose.