Match report: Manchester United 1 Brighton 0
Ashley Young's deflected effort was enough for Manchester United to secure a vital, but hard-fought 1-0 win over Brighton at Old Trafford.
The Reds were frustrated for over an hour of the game, with the visitors stifling United's attempted attacking forrays, but Young's 25-yard effort hit Lewis Dunk and found its way into the far corner to secure a crucial three points.
Jose Mourinho opted to start with the same starting XI that impressively dispatched Newcastle last week. The only changes from that outing saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Scott McTominay recalled to the matchday squad.
The Reds played their part in the Stonewall UK's Rainbow Laces campaign by wearing colourful laces, while captain Antonio Valencia wore a rainbow-themed armband in support for LGBT inclusivity. And it was a bright start from United who had a chance to take an early lead but Romelu Lukaku fired over after neat play between him and Anthony Martial.
Brighton on the other hand, arrived at Old Trafford unbeaten in five matches and as a current top-half team after a very steady start to the season. The lively Anthony Knockaert fired a dangerous ball across, which evaded everyone. Pascal Gross, who has scored three goals and provided five assists so far this season for the Seagulls, tried his luck from 20 yards, but David De Gea saved easily.
The away side were frustrating United as the hailstones battered down and Chris Hughton's men looked dangerous on the counter attack and from set-plays.
Glenn Murray failed to latch on to a dangerous in-swinging free kick before, just before half-time, the Reds' best chance fell to Lukaku who had a header saved by the feet of Matthew Ryan from a yard out, before the Australian keeper somehow kept out Paul Pogba's rebound.
Jose Mourinho opted to start with the same starting XI that impressively dispatched Newcastle last week. The only changes from that outing saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Scott McTominay recalled to the matchday squad.
The Reds played their part in the Stonewall UK's Rainbow Laces campaign by wearing colourful laces, while captain Antonio Valencia wore a rainbow-themed armband in support for LGBT inclusivity. And it was a bright start from United who had a chance to take an early lead but Romelu Lukaku fired over after neat play between him and Anthony Martial.
Brighton on the other hand, arrived at Old Trafford unbeaten in five matches and as a current top-half team after a very steady start to the season. The lively Anthony Knockaert fired a dangerous ball across, which evaded everyone. Pascal Gross, who has scored three goals and provided five assists so far this season for the Seagulls, tried his luck from 20 yards, but David De Gea saved easily.
The away side were frustrating United as the hailstones battered down and Chris Hughton's men looked dangerous on the counter attack and from set-plays.
Glenn Murray failed to latch on to a dangerous in-swinging free kick before, just before half-time, the Reds' best chance fell to Lukaku who had a header saved by the feet of Matthew Ryan from a yard out, before the Australian keeper somehow kept out Paul Pogba's rebound.
United 1 Brighton 0
GallerySwipe through the photos that tell the story of our Premier League win.
The second period came alive following a crunching, but fair, tackle by Victor Lindelof on Knockaert, which brought the Old Trafford faithful to life. The crowd were on their feet again for the emergence of Zlatan Ibrahimovic just past the hour mark and it didn't take long for that noise to inspire the Reds to take the lead - albeit in fortunate circumstances. A corner, disputed by the Seagulls when Lukaku fought to make a challenge, fell to Young and his left-footed effort from the edge of the box deflected off Dunk and looped over Ryan.
Knockaert again fired one of his dangerous fizzing balls across the goal which evaded everyone, before Bruno Saltor did the same moments later as Brighton looked for a late leveller. Ibrahimovic almost wrapped it up after a move of real quality as he linked superbly with Lukaku and Pogba, but his volley fizzed off target.
The result means United and are now unbeaten in 38 home games in all competitions, since losing 2-1 to Manchester City in September 2016. Next up at Old Trafford in the league? Pep Guardiola's leaders!
Knockaert again fired one of his dangerous fizzing balls across the goal which evaded everyone, before Bruno Saltor did the same moments later as Brighton looked for a late leveller. Ibrahimovic almost wrapped it up after a move of real quality as he linked superbly with Lukaku and Pogba, but his volley fizzed off target.
The result means United and are now unbeaten in 38 home games in all competitions, since losing 2-1 to Manchester City in September 2016. Next up at Old Trafford in the league? Pep Guardiola's leaders!
Young: I'm claiming the goal! Video
Young: I'm claiming the goal!
Unsurprisingly, Ash is not impressed with the decision to award an own goal after his deflected strike...
LINE-UPS AND KEY STATS
United: De Gea; Valencia (c), Lindelof, Smalling, Young; Matic, Pogba, Mata (Ibrahimovic 62), Rashford (Fellaini 79); Martial (Mkhitaryan 70), Lukaku.
Subs not used: Romero, Rojo, Herrera, McTominay.
Brighton: Ryan, Bruno (c), Duffy, Dunk, Bong, Knockaert, Stephens, Propper, March (Izquierdo 74), Groß (Brown 88), Murray (Hemed 74).
Subs not used: Krul, Goldson, Schelotto, Kayal.
Booked: Murray, Duffy.
United: De Gea; Valencia (c), Lindelof, Smalling, Young; Matic, Pogba, Mata (Ibrahimovic 62), Rashford (Fellaini 79); Martial (Mkhitaryan 70), Lukaku.
Subs not used: Romero, Rojo, Herrera, McTominay.
Brighton: Ryan, Bruno (c), Duffy, Dunk, Bong, Knockaert, Stephens, Propper, March (Izquierdo 74), Groß (Brown 88), Murray (Hemed 74).
Subs not used: Krul, Goldson, Schelotto, Kayal.
Booked: Murray, Duffy.
TALKING POINTS
Young denied first goal of the season: Ashley Young helped United break the deadlock in the 66th minute, but was cruelly denied his first goal of the season when the strike was judged as an own goal due to a huge deflection off Brighton defender Lewis Dunk. Nevertheless, the full-back was arguably United's outstanding performer in a tight and tense game. Young went past opponents several times in the attacking third and put in numerous testing crosses in a typically high-intensity display.
Lindelof's tackle: Young's goal might have given United the vital breakthrough, but a thunderous Victor Lindelof tackle gave United a fantastic injection of impetus in the ten minutes leading up to that. The Swedish international steamed in to take the ball from Anthony Knockaert and halt a lightning Brighton counter-attack, and it immediately got the crowd on their feet and raised the tempo of United's play. Ten minutes later, after an extended period of pressure, the Reds got their reward. It was an outstanding moment in what was surely Lindelof's best performance so far.
Returning Reds: It was another positive afternoon for Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marcos Rojo, all of whom have recently returned from injury. Pogba started for the third time in eight days and completed his first full game since suffering an injury against Basel in September. Zlatan Ibrahimovic played half an hour and went close twice with rasping shots, while Marcos Rojo made the bench just days after playing the full 90 in Wednesday's 1-0 defeat in Switzerland.
Young denied first goal of the season: Ashley Young helped United break the deadlock in the 66th minute, but was cruelly denied his first goal of the season when the strike was judged as an own goal due to a huge deflection off Brighton defender Lewis Dunk. Nevertheless, the full-back was arguably United's outstanding performer in a tight and tense game. Young went past opponents several times in the attacking third and put in numerous testing crosses in a typically high-intensity display.
Lindelof's tackle: Young's goal might have given United the vital breakthrough, but a thunderous Victor Lindelof tackle gave United a fantastic injection of impetus in the ten minutes leading up to that. The Swedish international steamed in to take the ball from Anthony Knockaert and halt a lightning Brighton counter-attack, and it immediately got the crowd on their feet and raised the tempo of United's play. Ten minutes later, after an extended period of pressure, the Reds got their reward. It was an outstanding moment in what was surely Lindelof's best performance so far.
Returning Reds: It was another positive afternoon for Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marcos Rojo, all of whom have recently returned from injury. Pogba started for the third time in eight days and completed his first full game since suffering an injury against Basel in September. Zlatan Ibrahimovic played half an hour and went close twice with rasping shots, while Marcos Rojo made the bench just days after playing the full 90 in Wednesday's 1-0 defeat in Switzerland.
WHAT DID MOURINHO SAY?
"It was a battle. I can say that because Brighton were very good from minute one to the last minute. Good approach, defensively very well organised. They change and only play with a line of five across the midfield. I keep saying defending well is very important. They defend very very well and they were quite dangerous in counter attack. Their wingers are good players and are quick. They had one against one so we had a couple of crosses across the face of the goal. I think they played really well. We didn't play well.
"The good thing for me was the intensity got higher in the second half in search of the goal and then after the goal we couldn't kill the game and in the last 10 to 15 minutes I saw a team with everyone trying to play for the clean sheet and to give everything. People like Lukaku playing on the right, on the left, and chasing defenders, the midfield players chasing the space in the middle so I am happy with the attitude but I have to praise a team and a manager that a few months ago were playing in the Championship and today they come to Old Trafford and they were the team until now who caused us the most problems."
"It was a battle. I can say that because Brighton were very good from minute one to the last minute. Good approach, defensively very well organised. They change and only play with a line of five across the midfield. I keep saying defending well is very important. They defend very very well and they were quite dangerous in counter attack. Their wingers are good players and are quick. They had one against one so we had a couple of crosses across the face of the goal. I think they played really well. We didn't play well.
"The good thing for me was the intensity got higher in the second half in search of the goal and then after the goal we couldn't kill the game and in the last 10 to 15 minutes I saw a team with everyone trying to play for the clean sheet and to give everything. People like Lukaku playing on the right, on the left, and chasing defenders, the midfield players chasing the space in the middle so I am happy with the attitude but I have to praise a team and a manager that a few months ago were playing in the Championship and today they come to Old Trafford and they were the team until now who caused us the most problems."
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