The Premier League season is only three weeks old but it is unlikely that there will be another daylight robbery quite as bold as that seen at the Amex Stadium on Saturday.
Manchester United escaped the south coast with three golden points but will have been left wondering how on earth they managed it after facing a 100-minute onslaught from Brighton.
Graham Potter’s exuberant, youthful side typified by the excellent Tariq Lamptey, Steven Alzate and Leandro Trossard, carved United’s back four open time and again, firing 18 shots on goal to their opponents’ seven and bettering their xG (expected goals) by 2.98 to 1.58.
Brighton also hit the woodwork with five of their efforts – a Premier League record since Opta began collecting such data in 2003-04 – with Trossard completing an unwanted hat-trick: the Belgian hit both posts in the first half before rattling the bar in the second for good measure.
Before the game, former United defender Rio Ferdinand offered a withering assessment of Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof’s qualities, telling BT Sport that the “centre back position should be a priority over anywhere else in the transfer window,” following the duo’s sub-par display in the 3-1 loss to Crystal Palace.
However, on Saturday it was out wide where United looked most vulnerable with both of Brighton’s goals coming from the flanks. Bruno Fernandes fouled the rampaging Lamptey in United’s left back area for Neal Maupay’s penalty opener, while Luke Shaw granted Alireza Jahanbakhsh the freedom of the right wing to bend a cross onto Solly March’s head for the second after he had ghosted behind Aaron Wan-Bissaka at the back post.
It seemed as though Brighton had specifically identified Wan-Bissaka as a weakness with 40 per cent of their attacks coming down the United right-back’s side. The impressive March, who was deployed at left wing-back, had 93 touches in total, more than any other on the pitch.
“When you concede chances and you concede goals there are two things you can look at: the team shape or individual mistakes,” Solskjaer said after the game. “For me, we are not in our best shape or form, our shape isn’t there, we aren’t sharp enough to get out to stop crosses or to follow the runs so we are a little bit behind.”
On Wan-Bissaka specifically, who was playing in his first game since suffering a torrid evening against Sevilla in the Europa League semi-final in August, Solskjaer added: “Aaron is improving as a defender, he’s one of the best one against one, he’s practising defending the back stick. He’s a joy to work with, he wants to learn, so he’ll improve.”
The welcome return of Nemanja Matic did add some stability to United’s midfield, but it was another inauspicious outing for Paul Pogba who was substituted midway through the second half for the second game running. Pogba has only recently returned to action after contracting Covid-19 and struggled to cope with the intensity of Brighton’s press in midfield.
Ultimately, United got what they wanted from a game that was never in their control, but the manner of their victory was far from convincing. Tactically, Solskjaer has plenty to ponder ahead of Wednesday’s reunion with Brighton in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.
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