Manchester United v Brighton and Hove Albion match review

MUFC starting XI: BHAFC starting XI:

De Gea Sanchez

Dalot Veltman

Lindelof Webster

Maguire Dunk

Shaw Cucurella

McTominay Bissouma

Fred Gross

Elanga Mac Allister

Fernandes Moder

Sancho Trossard

Ronaldo Maupay

Both sides started the game looking like they wanted all three points. After only five minutes Pascal Gross found Moder in space with a lovely through ball but his shot from a tight angle was saved by De Gea. One minute later Jason Sancho's close range effort was saved by Sanchez. Both sides calmed down and tightened up after the quick start and there was no chances until ten minutes later when Maupay had his shot blocked and Mac Allister had his effort saved. It was all Brighton so far in the game, Pascal Gross thought he'd found the opener on the half an hour mark but he placed his shot just wide before Luke Shaw had his long range shot blocked. The next ten minutes were still all Brighton and Man United didn't know what to do. Yves Bissouma missed two good chances, Mac Allister's ambitious header was inches over and Jakub Moder's bullet header was magnificently saved by De Gea. Man United's next chance came on the stroke of half time but Ronaldo's shot was easily blocked by the Brighton defence.

The second half began with a sloppy mistake from Yves Bissouma, easily losing the ball to McTominay who passed it to Ronaldo on the edge of the area to smash his shot into the top corner (51' minute, 1-0). Very poor from Brighton after such a good first half. Three minutes later Elanga broke through the Brighton back line and was pulled down by Dunk... referee shows the yellow card before VAR overturns the decision and Dunk is sent off. It goes from bad to worse for the Seagulls. The next twenty minutes Brighton were bombarded by Man United with the best chances falling to Ronaldo but it was still one nil and Brighton could still get something out of this game. All it would take is one moment of magic... Just over ten minutes to play and Moder picked up the ball outside the edge of the box and bent his shot over De Get from miles out and the ball smashed against the bar! The game continued in the same pattern with Manchester United pushing for the second but the could not find it. Last minute of normal time and Tariq Lamptey played a beautiful cross into the box for Danny Welbeck but his headed was over the bar, that was the chance. Brighton had to push everyone forward in the last minute of injury time to try and find a point from somewhere but United won the ball back and broke quickly with open space and Bruno Fernandes fired his shot past Sanchez (90+7' minute, 2-0). A disappointing result after brilliant first half performance from the Albion.

Stats:

Possession:

MUFC 50% - 50% BHAFC

Shots:

MUFC 19 - 10 BHAFC

Shots on Target:

MUFC 7 - 3 BHAFC

Corners:

MUFC 10 - 2 BHAFC

Passes:

MUFC 512 - 516 BHAFC

Pass accuracy:

MUFC 81% - 84% BHAFC

Yellow cards:

MUFC 3 - 1 BHAFC

Red cards:

MUFC 0 - 1 BHAFC

MOTM: Lamptey

Personal MOTM: Moder