United Beyond Manchester

On a day when the life of the ‘King of the Stretford End’ was remembered and celebrated, the fans sitting in the famed stand had little to sing about. Before the match, all in attendance contributed to a touching moment that honored the life and legacy of Denis Irwin, who passed away this week. Unfortunately, the performance itself showed a lack of quality in attack that Irwin brought in his day.

Match Flow

A sloppy opening five minutes led to a quick goal for the visitors. A simple ball over the top exposed the United backline and sent Kaoru Mitoma away, who squared the ball across to Yankuba Minteh for an easy finish.

After conceding, the Reds improved, finding gaps and pressing effectively. In the 20th minute, the press from Amad Diallo won the ball back high, and he found Joshua Zirkzee, who took a touch and was fouled inside the box by Carlos Baleba. Bruno Fernandes calmly tucked away the ensuing penalty to level the score at 1-1.

Great defending from Diogo Dalot kept the match even just before halftime. The Portuguese wing-back blocked former Red Danny Welbeck’s shot from the 6-yard box, and the ball was cleared away.

Brighton believed they had retaken the lead in the 53rd minute through Joao Pedro, but an on-field VAR review showed a foul by Jan Paul van Hecke in the build-up to the goal.

Shortly after the disallowed goal, Kaoru Mitoma restored the visitor’s advantage. A perfectly placed pass from Yankuba Minteh found the Japan international at the back post, where he beat Noussair Mazraoui and tapped the ball into Onana’s net.

Andre Onana gifted the visitors the match-sealing goal with a mistake on a simple claim. A cross from Brighton presented the ball to Onana, who fumbled into the path of Georginio Rutter. The French striker took a touch and finished easily, ending any hope of a United comeback.

Analysis

Brighton’s setup exploited the defensive vulnerabilities of Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui. The Seagulls’ two wide players, Yankuba Minteh and Kaoru Mitoma, combined effectively for two goals, with each player scoring and assisting the other. Mazraoui and Dalot specifically struggled with their positioning and marking throughout the match.

For Brighton’s opening goal, Mazraoui was beaten in the air, allowing Mitoma to break free and set up Minteh for a goal. On the second goal, Dalot failed to intercept a cross from Minteh, and Mazraoui lost track of Mitoma, who subsequently scored.

Ruben Amorim has shown interest in finding alternative wing-back options, and performances like this highlight the urgency of that need.

Another talking point from the match is Andre Onana’s consistent inconsistency. After a great performance against Southampton on Thursday, the Cameroonian goalkeeper struggled against Brighton, failing to register a save and conceding three goals. Another high-profile mistake doomed United, as Onana was unable to claim a simple ball that led to Rutter’s goal. Considering the level of play that is expected from a Manchester United goalkeeper, Onana’s position could be addressed this summer if a viable option is available.

Next Match

Manchester United host Rangers at Old Trafford in the Europa League during the week before visiting Fulham in the Premier League at the weekend.

Fulham currently sit 10th in the table, seven points ahead of Manchester United, who are 13th.