Manchester United 3-1 Brighton: 5 Things We Learned

Manchester United were electric in their approach as they won 3-1 against Brighton and Hove Albion at Old Trafford.

A quick succession of lucky goals set the ball rolling for the home side as Andreas Pereira’s shot was deflected just well enough to end up in the back of the net and two minutes later Davy Propper was unfortunate enough to let in an own-goal in a crowded box.

Lewis Dunk did provide some consolation to the Seagulls with his second-half header but Marcus Rashford’s goal minutes later sealed the fate of both sides.

 

1. Brandon Williams- Brilliant Debut

Brandon Williams’ full Premier League debut was much appreciated by the Old Trafford crowd, with many fans giving him a standing ovation when he was brought off on the cusp of the full-time whistle.

The teenager was very impressive in his aggression and take-ons, as well as in the style of his forward runs.

He almost marked the debut with a goal of his own when Anthony Martial fed him a brilliant ball in the second-half. At this rate, he can be a reasonable fall-back option to Luke Shaw and Ashley Young.

 

2. Much-Needed Confidence For Pereira

Fate really favored the Belgian-born Brazilian who was lucky to score due to a deflection in the first-half. Aside from that, he was much more confident in his approach to this game than in the disastrous one at Bournemouth.

The nature of his long shots is a testament to the same and it is evident now that he is warming the spot for Paul Pogba who simply has to play as a no.10 going forward, especially due to the link-up between Fred and Scott McTominay.

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3. Brighton Were Dynamic

It was an unfortunate outing for the Seagulls who actually had lots of positives to take away from Old Trafford.

Their playing style was immensely attractive for a side functioning away from home and the fact that they ended the game with 57% of the possession to their name is a testament to the progressive approach they adopted.

However, with this loss seeing them drop to the 11^th position and a steady run of tough fixtures ahead of them, how long can this combination last?

 

4. Martial Is Creator-In-Chief

It was definitely a man-of-the-match performance from Anthony Martial who despite being relatively quiet in front of goal actually created two in this fixture.

This may be part of the reason why Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wanted to get rid of Romelu Lukaku as the French forward is capable of creating even when he is not scoring.

Further still, the sheer quality of his hold-up play and the beauty of the linkup he had with Rashford is a massive positive. This combination is flourishing for the time being and fans will be hoping for it to continue.

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5. Fred and McTominay – United’s Modern Midfield Pivot

After multiple games playing side by side, Manchester United have their perfect midfield pairing in Fred and Scott McTominay. Tonight’s pivot saw them directly initiate two of United’s goals, with Fred’s free-kick creating the third.

While the Brazilian has been finally proving his pricetag, the Scottish academy graduate has been a steady surprise, holding true to the trust that Jose Mourinho initially placed in him.

This makes Pogba’s elevation to the no.10 appear even more necessary as this partnership flourishes more and more.