Three things we learned as Brighton and Hove Albion score late to beat Manchester United – Man United News And Transfer News

3

Manchester United travelled to face Brighton and Hove Albion, with the Red Devils looking to build on a win against Aston Villa to further cement their top 4 credentials as the season nears its end.

Erik ten Hag named a strong starting XI. David de Gea started in goal, with a defensive quartet of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof, Luke Shaw and Diogo Dalot ahead of the Spanish shot-stopper.

Casemiro was United’s deepest-lying midfielder in a midfield trio also consisting of Bruno Fernandes and Fred.

Anthony Martial led the line with Marcus Rashford and Antony on either side of the Frenchman.

Erik ten Hag brings back Anthony Martial and Fred with Christian Eriksen dropping to the bench. Huge game coming up for Manchester United in their quest to assure a Champions League spot for next season.#MUFC #BHAMUN #PL #PremierLeague #ThePeoplesPerson pic.twitter.com/MHABrtHDzn

— The Peoples Person (@_peoplesperson_) May 4, 2023

Here are three things we learned from Manchester United’s 1-0 loss against Brighton.

United desperately need a striker

One of the most striking themes from the Red Devils’ game against the Seagulls was the amount of clear-cut chances that were missed, especially in the opening 45 minutes.

In the first half, Antony had two golden opportunities to put his side into the lead but the Brazilian could not put the ball into the back of the net.

Rashford had his chances to get onto the score sheet but like Antony, the 25-year-old could not make the most out of what was presented to him.

Martial came the closest to breaking the deadlock but the France international could not beat Brighton’s Jason Steele.

United’s attacking line was on the whole poor and showed why a striker is at the top of Ten Hag’s wishlist when the summer transfer window opens in a few weeks.

The lack of quality attacking-wise against a resilient Brighton who have been on the rise under Roberto De Zerbi proves why a world-class target man is the top priority.

It didn’t help that Martial had little to no positive impact on the game.

Against the Seagulls, one cannot help but think that a striker capable of finishing his chances, linking up play and aggressively pressing could have made a massive difference.

Hopefully, Ten Hag secures the signing of his main targets ahead of next season.

United’s technical levels are shockingly low

United’s technical levels compared to De Zerbi’s men were shockingly below par.

The Red Devils were unable to muster any meaningful spells of possession, mainly due to their inability to keep the ball and pass it around long enough to mount meaningful attacking ventures.

Brighton had the lion’s share of possession – to no one’s surprise really.

If United are to be successful under Ten Hag, it is imperative that the team’s technical ceiling be raised.

The Reds have been linked with the likes of Alexis Mac Allister and Frenkie de Jong, both players who are renowned for their ability on the ball and incredible technical capacity.

United have an alarmingly low number of players who are excellent technically and it showed against Brighton. This is a weakness of the team that urgently needs addressing.

United still have a top four battle on their hands

As a result of their loss against Brighton, United still have a battle to qualify for the Champions League on their hands.

Liverpool are only five points below the Red Devils, although United have a game in hand.

Newcastle sit in third position, two points above the 20-time English champions.

Going forward, United cannot afford any more mistakes. With five games left in the league, everything is on the line.