Man Utd survive late Brighton fightback to maintain Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's perfect start
As Brighton & Hove Albion pumped one high ball after another into Manchester United’s box and an anxious Old Trafford collectively held its breath, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s prospects of equalling the best start made by a new manager in the Premier League era briefly felt under threat.
Yet United survived a late siege in a game they should have wrapped up long before Pascal Gross set the cat among the pigeons 18 minutes from time and a relieved Solskjaer was able to toast a sixth successive league win as United’s caretaker manager on the 25th anniversary of Sir Matt Busby’s death. This is turning into a long, memorable honeymoon.
Only Carlo Ancelotti, with Chelsea in 2009/10, and Pep Guardiola at Manchester City two seasons ago, have managed six wins from their first six league games and Solskjaer will have the opportunity to make the outright best start of the lot by beating Burnley at Old Trafford on Tuesday week. Including the FA Cup win over Reading, it is seven consecutive victories all told. How much further up the table would United be if the club’s hierarchy had sacked Jose Mourinho a month or two earlier? How many more goals would Marcus Rashford have right now had Solskjaer come on board earlier?
Yes, United were hanging on by the end but this was another centre-forward’s performance to savour from Rashford. Still only 21, he marked his 150th appearance for the club with a sublime goal after Paul Pogba’s penalty got United up and running, and Solskjaer is not sure there is a better striker in the top flight at the moment. It is all a far cry from Mourinho venting his frustration on the touchline at Rashford after another miss.
“I’m glad he is in my team,” Solskjaer said. “Harry Kane is injured so maybe that gives Marcus a chance of being the best [striker] at the moment. No one beats him on work rate, no one beats him on attitude and at the moment he’s very confident in front of goal. He doesn’t need to think twice about it. He’s playing the best football of his career.
“The players have to be proud of the form and momentum they’re building. Maybe in 10, 15, 20 years I will look back on this but I’ve never bothered about records. But to be part of a team that is winning so much feels great and for the confidence that is building. I think the team spirit kept us away from losing points.”
As frantic a finish as it was, United played some captivating football before then and should have been three or four goals in front as Brighton encountered a very different side to the one they had beaten in their last two outings at the Amex Stadium. Pogba had criticised United’s attitude and hunger after the 3-2 loss at Brighton in August but there was no danger of that here.
From the outset, United were aggressive and urgent, pressing high and taking the game to the visitors. Rashford set the tone. Here is a young lad clearly relishing the opportunity to lead the line and, his goal aside, there was much to admire about his performance. His movement was quick and clever and he can deliver a cross, too. One wonderful, vicious ball across the face of Brighton’s goal in the second half was crying out for Jesse Lingard to steer home at the far post but the forward somehow contrived to side-foot wide from four yards.
“I don’t know how Jesse missed,” Solskjaer said, and it was that squandered opportunity, and Anthony Martial also firing another inviting chance wide, that opened the door to Brighton. That was the frustration for Solskjaer because his team were flying. Pogba won and converted the penalty when he brought down Nemanja Matic’s raking diagonal pass, cut inside Gaetan Bong and was tripped. “No complaints” said Brighton manager Chris Hughton.
By now, most will be familiar with Pogba’s stuttering run up but Solskjaer does not care so long as he scores. “He scores them so that’s what matters,” Solskjaer said. “In front of the Stretford End, why don’t you just enjoy it.” Pogba celebrated by pretending to cradle a baby, his girlfriend Maria Salaues having just given birth to their new child.
It was all United when Rashford scored his beauty. Flicking the ball out to Diogo Dalot on the left, Rashford darted forward. Dalot advanced and managed to slip a pass into the England striker, who skipped past Gross with an exquisite shuffle of the feet before curling a shot on unerring pace and accuracy into the far top corner.
Solskjaer’s front-foot approach has liberated Rashford and the other attackers but the transformation in the likes of Matic and Ander Herrera is, in its own way, just as pronounced. That pair provided the platform for United to attack here. Herrera was everywhere, winning timely interceptions, closing down space, United’s best player behind Rashford.
Victor Lindelof, too, is growing in confidence with every game. One stunning ball over the top for Martial drew a fine save from Brighton goalkeeper David Button, but Lindelof should have done better for Brighton’s goal - his only false step all afternoon. Opting to stand off Davy Propper, he invited the Brighton midfielder to cross. Gross showed a calm head to take the ball down on his chest and crash a shot high into the net.
United had been forced to make a few last ditch clearances from crosses throughout the game but Gross’ goal was the cue for Brighton to bombard United aerially and the relief at the final whistle palpable.
“If the train keeps rolling we will get loads of points on the board and hopefully it will take us up the table but I have to say we need to improve on a few things,” Solskjaer said. “Defensively, we need to find our shapes better, we need to keep the ball better when we are under the cosh and keep it away from them but we are playing some fantastic football.”
That they are.
FULL TIME
No they can't! Man Utd hang on to secure three points and give Ole Solskjaer the best starting record of any United manager in history. Six Premier League wins in a row!
90 mins+4 - Man Utd 2 Brighton 1
Brighton are desperate to get an equaliser. They're throwing everyone forward for free-kicks, putting the ball in the area and looking to win second balls. United can't keep the ball, are being beaten to tackles, can't clear their lines, are wasting time... can Brighton get anything here?
90 mins+3 - Man Utd 2 Brighton 1
Rashford flies into a slide tackle on Montoya and completely wipes out his man. It's a comical Sunday League style challenge and the Brighton man has not enjoyed it. Rashford is booked and then walks slowly off the pitch to be subbed for Darmian.
90 mins+2 - Man Utd 2 Brighton 1
Chris Hughton is shouting annoyed words at his forwards for failing to move wide and open up a pass, United players are hanging in, clearing their lines. Brighton have a corner.
90 mins - Man Utd 2 Brighton 1
United can't keep the ball now. Herrera's making panicked passes, Brighton are being handed possession... but now Pogba's on the run! He drives at goal after brilliant work from Dalot, moves inside onto his right foot after a clever turn but bends his powerful shot wide of the post.
87 mins - Man Utd 2 Brighton 1
De Gea punches a free-kick cross away and gets a forearm across his chest. It'd be soft if that were a foul, but since goalkeepers are deemed in more need of protection than white rhinos, it wouldn't be surprising were Duffy penalised. No foul! Hooray. Man Utd manage to deal with the corner and now Rashford is down with an injury after being clattered when dribbling past a defender. I think he's taken a knock to his knee. Should be fine.
85 mins - Man Utd 2 Brighton 1
That's a photo of Brighton's goal, the thing which has given them a way back into this match. They're more urgent, a bit sharper, a bit faster... United are sitting deep and inviting pressure, not pressing with the same energy of the first half.
83 mins - Man Utd 2 Brighton 1
Solskjaer's clearly a bit concerned and is up on the touchline shouting orders to his players. Martial comes off to be replaced by Lukaku for the final bit of this match.
81 mins - Man Utd 2 Brighton 1
Brighton are finding space in behind the United defence and attacking it with purpose! There's a drive behind the team, the momentum has swung and United need to be careful. Brigton keep coming at them, Pogba tries to be clever rather than clearing the ball, Brighton keep coming... and United break. Brighton win it back but Knockaert passes the ball out for a throw-in, thinking the substitute getting ready to come on was a valid passing option.
78 mins - Man Utd 2 Brighton 1
Rashford fancies a punt from long range and hits a knuckleball shot from wide left. It bounce just in front of the goalkeeper, who has to be alert to make sure he doesn't spill that one.
Brighton have some belief in their attacking play now, they're really getting forward and it's causing problems.
75 mins - Man Utd 2 Brighton 1
Jesse Lingard off, Juan Mata on.
GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!
GROSS SCORES!
It's a simple cross into the area which lands over the head of one defender and drops at the feet of Gross inside the area. He stabs at it with the outside of his foot and smashes the volley past De Gea from close range! That'll wake United up.
72 mins - Man Utd 2 Brighton 0
Romelu Lukaku is about to come on. While he's waiting on the sidelines, Pogba goes on a run up the pitch past about three defenders, eventually taking the ball into a crowded area in the final third. Brighton move up the other end if the pitch and patiently probe for a chance... and they might be in here!
70 mins - Man Utd 2 Brighton 0
Herrera works himself a shot but it's low and easily saved in the middle of the goal. He's had a decent game today, making some nice little turns and linking passes.
67 mins - Man Utd 2 Brighton 0
Pogba does a Ruud Gullit and controls the ball on his chest inside his own box following a corner, before starting a counter-attack. It fizzles out.
Brighton are playing this half with all the effervescence of an open bottle of tonic water you forgot you had. United are still full of fizz but you get the feeling the can is two thirds empty. The bit at the bottom isn't as delicious and bubbly as the top... and Solskjaer will probably make changes soon to give the team a bit of energy.
65 mins - Man Utd 2 Brighton 0
One of the biggest differences between Mourinho and Solskjaer's Man Utd is the way midfielders fire passes between opposition players to break the lines of defence. It needs the receiver to have a good first touch and generally, footballers on £100,000 a week tend to have that.
Every time United come forwards a striker, or wide forward moves into a position to allow this forward pass and it means they can then turn and shoot or bring others into play.
62 mins - Man Utd 2 Brighton 0
A free-kick for Brighton gives the tall lads a chance to get into the Man Utd box. The ball is chipped into the box, flicked on... and there's a chance at the far post! The net ripples! But it's the side-netting he's hit... which, if I am correct, does not count as a goal.
Herrera's made a mistake with his passing now and Brighton surge forwards on the counter. Man Utd work to get back into their shape and De Gea is able to catch a hopeful cross lifted into the area. Danger averted!
60 mins - Man Utd 2 Brighton 0
Pogba turns in the box, fakes to shoot to win space to shoot... and hits his curling effort over the bar. Hughton's making changes, Man Utd are pummelling them here - it's a matter of time until goal number three.
58 mins - Man Utd 2 Brighton 0
More play on the left, Martial drops a shoulder and cuts past the tackle of one player, back onto the right foot and then a shot... just wide! That would've been special if he'd hit the net.
Rashford is... I mean some of the stuff he's doing in this game is unbelievable. Now he's dropped into midfield and hit a 50 yard pass onto the boot of Young out on the right.
56 mins - Man Utd 2 Brighton 0
Rashford controls the ball on the spin, drawing that 'ooooohhhhh' noise of appreciation from the home crowd which denotes a moment of skill.
53 mins - Man Utd 2 Brighton 0
Young is making early runs to a really advanced right wing position and Matic keeps trying to find him with long switched passes. Bong cuts out another one.
United are doubling and tripling up on the left wing again. Passes are neat, movement is good and suddenly Rashford whips a brilliant cross to the back post for Lingard! It's a tap in! But Lingard's volleyed wide of the goal from about four yards!
50 mins - Man Utd 2 Brighton 0
Martial falls down on the edge of the area and wins a free-kick. Rashford will hit it... but it's over the bar. Lots of power, not enough dip.
48 mins - Man Utd 2 Brighton 0
Bong has just controlled the ball with a stunning first touch, watching it drop over his shoulder while running then bouncing it on the turn into his path. It's the kind of thing I'd do an actual goal celebration for if I managed it during a Sunday League game but nobody even applauded him for it. Shocking scenes here at Old Trafford.
Brighton have started this half with at a higher tempo than United.
KICK OFF 2
We're back! Brighton start the second half.
Team shapes
This backs up what I was saying about why United focus play down the left. Pogba gets quite close to Martial on that wing, while Rashford loves to move into channels too. Since he's right footed, the left side is a natural choice. It's interesting that Brighton's defensive line is so high, I'd expected them to sit a lot deeper than this. Hughton might have underestimated quite how good United are at attacking!
Rashford stats
⚽ Marcus Rashford has scored his 8th PL goal this season, in his 20th appearance.
This is now his highest scoring campaign in the competition, surpassing 7 goals in 35 appearances last season pic.twitter.com/PH1Ws7wEqR— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) January 19, 2019
41 - Marcus Rashford has scored his 41st goal for @ManUtd in his 150th appearance for them in all competitions - he's scored more than any other player for the club since his debut. Skilled. #MUNBHA
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 19, 2019
Rashford is one of the very best young players in world football, it's astonishing that Jose Mourinho didn't get more out of him. How can you limit a player like this? It'd be like telling Cristiano Ronaldo to cut out the dribbling, mental.
His finishing is improving too... Charlie Eccleshare has this explanation as to why that is!
HALF TIME
For the sixth Man Utd Premier League game in a row, that was genuinely fun to watch. The players look dead keen to add to the scoreline too so the second half should be great. Brighton haven't even been that bad, just undone by a more talented group of players hungry to attack.
45 mins - Man Utd 2 Brighton 0
Rashford is the youngest every player to score in four successive games for United now apparently. It's pretty cool that you can hear Mike Phelan roaring instructions from the sidelines, the pitchside microphone is picking up every word of encouragement or positional instruction that's being shouted out.
GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!
Oh wow what a goal this is from Rashford!
That's absolutely stunning. He starts the move, times his run from deep, uses quick feet to turn his man and then is able to bend a shot into the top corner from a narrow angle. Magic.
He's such a fantastic player - there's not much more Brighton could have done to stop him other than kicking him off the park!
42 mins - Man Utd 1 Brighton 0
The free-kick from that elbowing incident is headed in the box at goal... but De Gea has no trouble picking the ball off the ground.
41 mins - Man Utd 1 Brighton 0
March has been excellent for Brighton all season and is causing problems on the right wing. Another teasing ball from right to left is intercepted though and United have a chance to attack again... or they did until Martial listened to Mike Phelan's tactical instructions from the touchline and passed the ball straight to the Brighton centre-backs.
Matic has given Murray a whack with the elbow right into his head... and is lucky not to be booked. That looked sore.
39 mins - Man Utd 1 Brighton 0
Rashford and Duffy run into each other and bang heads but both are fine. Play resumes and Brighton keep up the pressure in the final third.
36 mins - Man Utd 1 Brighton 0
Brighton are having a go at United now, sending players forward to get at the defence. Murray drags a shot wide.
Man Utd struggle to break out of their own half for a bit and then Murray runs in behind the defence and has a chance to shoot from close range! The ball drops for him, this is a massive chance... and he's blasted it wide!
33 mins - Man Utd 1 Brighton 0
Look at these little graphics for how dominant Man Utd are - it's so attacking.
They've had to deal with another Brighton set piece, this time a corner is played short, switched to the full-back on the left and then crossed in. Locadia keeps the play alive, Gross has to go back and switches the play to Bong again. Brighton like the early cross from the left at the moment.
31 mins - Man Utd 1 Brighton 0
Brighton win a free-kick wide right of the box. The big lads come up for it, March and Gross try to double bluff who the taker will be... but end up confusing Murray, who is offside. But he's not interfering with play so I'm a little confused about where the infringement was for that free-kick.
GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLL!
Pogba finds the back of the net! Brilliant penalty.
Button tries to put off Pogba by sidestepping to the left of his goal, a bit like when you're trying to wind up your friend when playing Fifa, but Pogba doesn't care and places the ball with power into the exact bit of the goal the goalkeeper had been standing in.
Penalty to Man Utd
Paul Pogba's going to take this one. How many hours from now until he completes his run up?
25 mins - Man Utd 0 Brighton 0
Solly March tries to work the angle to shoot on his own and keeps going... eventually he's tackled and Man Utd break. Martial and Pogba link passes, Brighton get very compact to limit the space. United have to keep shifting the ball from side to side and the passing is lovely... and Matic has just switched a beautiful long ball out to the right! Pogba takes it down, runs inside the box and goes down! PENALTY!
23 mins - Man Utd 0 Brighton 0
POGBA OVERHEAD KICK! Wide! That would have been cool af. Pogba goes for the 'Credit Card Company Advert' style acrobatic shot but the goalie gets a wee nudge on it to turn it wide.
From the corner, Rashford comes short, gets the ball in the box and turns, has the angle, lifts his shot to the top corner. It's just over. It feels like the Mourinho years never even happened watching this.
20 mins - Man Utd 0 Brighton 0
RASHFORDDDDDDDDD blocked! Man Utd are attacking quickly, causing problems with their passing and Rashford's had a dunt at goal from just inside the box.
He's gutted that hasn't gone in - the keeper was beaten but Duffy gets his body in the way of a certain goal.
18 mins - Man Utd 0 Brighton 0
Jones and Murray is becoming a nice little battle. The other interesting thing about United's defence is that Locadia keeps finding space in behind the advanced Ashley Young - every turnover in Brighton's half sees the ball pinged out that way.
15 mins - Man Utd 0 Brighton 0
Big chance for Brighton! Gross ends up in the D with a chance to shoot! Murray runs onto the blocked effort and the ball sits up for Gross to smash into the back of the net... but the referee blows his whistle for offside. Gross missed anyway.
13 mins - Man Utd 0 Brighton 0
Bong does well to get up the pitch and win his side a corner. The ball is curled in, Duffy meets it at the back post... and De Gea catches. De Gea spots Martial wide left waiting for the pass and hits the ball miles out towards him, over cooking it.
10 mins - Man Utd 0 Brighton 0
Martial's doing tricks now, heel-chopping inside to attack the centre. Rashford commits a foul though and Brighton take their time over the free-kick. United have already had four shots on goal in the opening 10 minutes. It's just so nice to not absolutely hate watching them anymore.
Make that five shots on goal. Lindelof has headed wide from a corner.
7 mins - Man Utd 0 Brighton 0
It's all Man Utd early on in his game. Brighton trying to clear the ball away but the United line is so high that they're winning it back straight away.
Oooooohhhhh that's lovely. Rashford moves to the right channel to help Young then tries an outside flip-flap, flicking the ball through the legs of a Brighton defender and trying to go round the other side of him. It doesn't come off this time but I really love it when Rashford's on the ball. He's like the English Ronaldo Nazario.
5 mins - Man Utd 0 Brighton 0
Stephens catches Herrera with a poorly timed tackle and United have a chance to shoot from a free-kick in Beckham territory. Pogba, Young and Rashford are having a chat about it.
Rashford fakes, the wall jumps and Pogba hits it straight into the wall. All Rashford's fake run up as done there is ruin Pogba's shot - maybe it should be a foul? The wall jumped and stepped forward basically, is what I'm trying to say, and that's why Pogba hits bodies.
3 mins - Man Utd 0 Brighton 0
Dalot has started at left-back, Young is on the right, which is the opposite of what you'd think would happen. United are moving the ball around Brighton's half, carrying it forward. It's a very high defensive line too, Matic completing the triangle with the centre-backs.
KICK OFF
And now it's time for fitba! Man Utd start the game.
Sir Matt Busby remembered
There's a massive round of applause for Sir Matt Busby before kick off. Some of his family are here today and his name has been printed on the side of the glass exterior at Old Trafford too. Alex Ferguson is one of those applauding in the crowd.
Here come the players
It's time! Old Trafford's nice and loud.
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Chris Hughton
We're on a decent run at the moment. One is results and one is performance. Our level of performance has definitely improved.
We'll have to play as well as we've played on occasions and we have to hope United don't play as well as they have of late. You have to go into the game with a belief you can get something, always difficult but that's the nature of the quality of teams you're playing against.
Translation: we're going to sit deep, frustrate and counter-attack.
United tend to focus on the left wing
Crystal Palace are the only other side in the Premier League who rely on their left side as much as United (an average of 45 per cent of their attacks are there, the same as United).
That could well be because Martial tends to operate on the left wing but Paul Pogba also likes to drift into that left halfspace to get on the ball and move inside the pitch from there.
Ole Solskjaer giving mad props to his backroom team
When players perform well and are fit in training you want that consistency, I thought parts of the game against Spurs were fantastic.
We're at home, we want those three points, have had a good run but every team causes you different problems. It's down to us to get the tempo going, get the crowd going.
We've analysed them really well, we've seen them - they don't concede many goals. They're great on counter-attacks and set pieces, the analysis guys have done fantastic work so we should be ready.
That's lovely. Solskjaer's praising his backroom team for all the work they've done analysing the visiting team team today. Can you imagine Jose Mourinho doing that? He'd have been more likely to say the work wasn't good enough and that the board needed to act quickly to sign a new analyst. Without a new analyst, there's just no way Man Utd could win games with style, you see.
If you're interested, according to my extensive research (Football Manager 19), Man Utd's chief data analyst is Mike Court. Praise be to Mike Court.
What to expect today
Brighton will almost certainly try to quieten the crowd and make the game as boring as possible from kick off. The big risk to their goal is Man Utd's quick attacking transitions - the pace of United's counter-attacks is rapid and means the Brighton full-backs can't really risk getting too far forward.
Liverpool tried to attack through the middle of the pitch but ran into locked door after locked door in that narrow 1-0 win - United tend to play with a lot more width, attacking the wings and hitting teams when they lose the ball.
This could either be a tight, tense low-scoring game, or United could blow Brighton out the water with a frantic start.
The teams
Pretty much as expected then! Brighton are a 4-5-1, Man Utd a 4-3-3. Romelu Lukaku still not able to break into the first team but when Marcus Rashford is playing as well as he is right now, who would?
A landmark day for @MarcusRashford - his 150th #MUFC appearance! �� #MUNBHApic.twitter.com/USKikIc3Gx
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 19, 2019
Bailly and Sanchez are on the bench in place of McTominay (who might be on his way to the Scottish Premiership on loan) and Fred.
Brighton have only made one change and that's just to the subs bench, Gyokeres replaces Sanders.
Starting lineups
Hello!
And welcome to our liveblog for Ole Solskjaer's flying Man Utd vs Chris Hughton's incredibly organised Brighton.
As we discussed on the AFC Telegraph podcast last Monday (it's on iTunes and Spotify), Hughton is ludicrously underrated. He very nearly managed a point against Liverpool last week with an outstanding defensive performance, sitting the players in a structured 4-5-1 closing the gaps and limiting space, waiting to hit long balls from the right wing towards runners on the left.
About a month ago this game would probably have been a potential three points for Brighton, since Solskjaer turned the club around with an attacking mentality and some - gasp - smiles, it's anything but. Can Man Utd break down the walls of Brighton defence? Might Brighton get a shock win and derail the momentum train?
Nobody knows. While you're waiting for the game to kick off, why not give the podcast a wee listen?
Team news will be with us soon but expect a 4-5-1 from Brighton and an attacking 4-3-3 from Man Utd. It might even be a 4-2-4 for United with Lukaku partnering Rashford. Stay tuned/logged in!
