Manchester United were beaten 3-1 by Brighton at Old Trafford as the home crowd turned on manager Erik ten Hag.
Ten Hag has enjoyed the overwhelming backing of United fans since his arrival last summer and the majority have supported the Dutchman in his current dispute with winger Jadon Sancho.
But they let Ten Hag know they did not agree with his decision to replace new signing Rasmus Hojlund with Anthony Martial 19 minutes into the second period in no uncertain manner, as a cacophony of boos rang round the stadium before the Dane was applauded off.
The change didn’t make much difference for United, who were behind thanks to a first-half goal from one-time home favourite Danny Welbeck, which was followed up after the interval by efforts from Pascal Gross and substitute Joao Pedro, who were both given far too much space around the United penalty box.
Hannibal Mejbri’s first United goal gave the hosts some hope, but in a frenetic finish it was the visitors who came closest to finding the net again as Andre Onana made four excellent saves, the best of which came in injury-time to deny on-loan Barcelona man Ansu Fati a debut goal.
It was United’s first home defeat in 13 months, when Brighton again triumphed here. The Seagulls are now on a run of four successive Premier League wins over their hosts, and this victory brought more boos at the final whistle, though not on anywhere near the same scale as when Hojlund was withdrawn.
Ten Hag’s side have now conceded 10 goals in their last four games, and have also conceded more than one in four successive league matches for the first time since 1979.
United hit unexpected trouble
Things were not supposed to be like this for United.
Six points from their opening five games represents their worst start since the 2014-15 campaign under Louis van Gaal.
In addition to the three damaging defeats they suffered, they are also without Sancho, who is training away from the first team after he said on social media he felt he was being made a scapegoat by Ten Hag in a clear challenge to the manager’s authority.
Fellow winger Antony is also absent, having been given time off to address allegations made by his former partner.
With new signings Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat watching from the stands, Ten Hag is clearly struggling with significant membersof his squad missing.
Still, United had plenty of experience on show, but with the exception of Marcus Rashford they were largely toothless in attack.
The England forward had one first-half effort deflected onto the angle between post and crossbar, and also supplied the low cross which Hojlund, sliding in, probably should have converted.
At that point, with the game still goalless and United enjoying an encouraging start, a goal could have been pivotal.
As it was, the home side’s momentum gradually petered out and there was no repeat of the heroics which saw them come from two goals down to win against Nottingham Forest last month.
More to follow.
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Brighton & Hove Albion
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Squad number23Player nameSteele
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Squad number34Player nameVeltman
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Squad number29Player namevan Hecke
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Squad number5Player nameDunk
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Squad number2Player nameLamptey
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Squad number13Player nameGroß
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Squad number8Player nameDahoud
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Squad number24Player nameAdingra
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Squad number14Player nameLallana
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Squad number22Player nameMitoma
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Squad number18Player nameWelbeck
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Squad number6Player nameMilner
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Squad number9Player nameJoão Pedro
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Squad number11Player nameGilmour
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Squad number28Player nameFerguson
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Squad number31Player nameAnsu Fati
Line-ups
Man Utd
Formation 4-1-2-1-2
- 24Onana
- 20Dalot
- 2Lindelöf
- 6Li MartínezSubstituted forWan-Bissakaat 85′minutes
- 15ReguilónSubstituted forGarnachoat 85′minutes
- 18CasemiroSubstituted forMejbriat 64′minutesBooked at 90mins
- 39McTominaySubstituted forPellistriat 85′minutes
- 14Eriksen
- 8Bruno FernandesBooked at 45mins
- 10Rashford
- 11HøjlundSubstituted forMartialat 64′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Bayindir
- 5Maguire
- 9Martial
- 17Garnacho
- 28Pellistri
- 29Wan-Bissaka
- 35Evans
- 44Gore
- 46Mejbri
Brighton
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 23Steele
- 34Veltman
- 29van HeckeBooked at 24mins
- 5Dunk
- 2LampteyBooked at 4minsSubstituted forMilnerat 77′minutes
- 13Groß
- 8DahoudSubstituted forGilmourat 77′minutes
- 24AdingraSubstituted forFergusonat 85′minutes
- 14LallanaSubstituted forAnsu Fatiat 64′minutes
- 22Mitoma
- 18WelbeckSubstituted forJoão Pedroat 64′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Verbruggen
- 3dos Santos de Paulo
- 4Webster
- 6Milner
- 9João Pedro
- 11Gilmour
- 20Baleba
- 28Ferguson
- 31Ansu Fati
- Referee:
- Jarred Gillett
- Attendance:
- 73,592
Live Text
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Second Half ends, Manchester United 1, Brighton and Hove Albion 3.
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Offside, Manchester United. Anthony Martial tries a through ball, but Alejandro Garnacho is caught offside.
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Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by André Onana.
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Attempt saved. Ansu Fati (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Billy Gilmour with a through ball.
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Hannibal Mejbri (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Evan Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Hannibal Mejbri (Manchester United).
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Ansu Fati (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United).
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Offside, Manchester United. Marcus Rashford tries a through ball, but Alejandro Garnacho is caught offside.
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Foul by James Milner (Brighton and Hove Albion).
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Hannibal Mejbri (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt saved. Ansu Fati (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by João Pedro.
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Attempt saved. Evan Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by João Pedro.
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Evan Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Victor Lindelöf (Manchester United).
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Substitution, Manchester United. Facundo Pellistri replaces Scott McTominay.
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Substitution, Manchester United. Aaron Wan-Bissaka replaces Lisandro Martínez.
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Substitution, Manchester United. Alejandro Garnacho replaces Sergio Reguilón.
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Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Evan Ferguson replaces Simon Adingra.