On September 17, Beijing time (CEST), Manchester United suffered a tragic 2–3 home defeat to Brighton in the third round of the Carabao Cup. Fans at Old Trafford witnessed two defeats in four days. In response, TA stated that Manchester United players should bear much of the responsibility, as there have been many basic errors in the first six games of the season.

Manchester United's recent problems worsened midweek when they squandered a two-goal advantage at Old Trafford and were eliminated from the League Cup by Brighton.

Following a week that saw a derby defeat due to a controversial goal and promising 15-year-old prospect JJ Gabriel requesting to leave the club, Michael Carrick and his team now face another blow: losing a match after leading 2–0 at home for the first time in 50 years.

The match started brilliantly, with Shea Lacey scoring just 8 minutes into his debut, followed by Mason Mount extending the lead. However, Brighton gradually found their rhythm and took control of the game, while Manchester United continued to make errors, with Dimitri Butin halving the deficit before half-time.

In the second half, Manchester United's defensive negligence worsened, and Brighton scored dramatically two quick goals to take the lead, with Maxime De Cuyper and Pascal Gross scoring within five minutes. Despite Manchester United bringing on key players like Bruno Fernandes, Brighton remained dominant, and the substitutions had little effect.

Reporters Chris McKenna and Conor O'Neill reviewed the key moments of the Old Trafford clash.

After losing the season's first game to Hull City, Carrick said, "It's just one game." But the situation is now very different. Manchester United has already suffered 3 defeats in just 6 games this season.

Manchester United's manager's ultimate measure will likely be the final league position, rather than League Cup performance, but this defeat is undoubtedly a significant blow. Only one win in four league games, with the other victory coming against weaker opposition, Al Ahli, in the Champions League.

The team urgently needed a brilliant performance to calm growing external doubts and public pressure, but this match's result clearly failed to achieve that. It was not merely a simple defeat; the manner in which it occurred was even more embarrassing. The team scored two goals within the first 10 minutes to take the lead and firmly controlled the game's tempo for a period, but from halfway through the first half, the team completely lost control of the situation and never regained its familiar rhythm.

Manchester United's midfield performed poorly in both attacking organization and defensive phases without the ball, and the entire defensive line was almost constantly in disarray, frequently exposing defensive vulnerabilities.

Carrick's substitutions in this match failed to improve the situation, and with this collapse, Manchester United also exited their first domestic cup competition of the season.

However, the players themselves must also bear considerable responsibility. There have been a large number of individual errors across the team's six games so far this season.

In the second half at Old Trafford, boos and sighs of frustration echoed continuously.

If they fail to pick up points in their next Premier League match against Fulham, this international break will be particularly difficult for Manchester United's manager.

Why did Manchester United struggle to play out from the back?

In the early stages, Manchester United had strong momentum and clear ideas, and it was natural for players to relax after taking a two-goal lead. But the drop in intensity quickly turned into carelessness: constant passing errors in defense, chaotic communication among players, and the defense completely losing composure.

Before half-time, Brighton regained possession 8 times in Manchester United's attacking third, the most times an opponent has won the ball back in the first half since November 2022 against Fulham. Brighton is renowned for their high-intensity pressing, and Manchester United found it difficult to break through their pressure, with a pass accuracy of just 80% in the first half, their lowest of the season.

Carrick started with two young central defenders, Lenny Yoro and Aiden Heaven, who appeared nervous against Brighton's physicality.

Setting aside Brighton's high press, Manchester United's defensive line made several basic errors. Heaven went down with minimal contact, attempting to win a foul near the goal line; Yoro attempted risky passes over the top several times, most unsuccessful.

On either side of Yoro and Aiden Heaven were the more experienced Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot, but both fullbacks failed to provide the stability needed for the chaotic, disorganized defense. Brighton frequently created threatening attacks down the flanks, with one goal coming from a wide turnover where the ball was played to Kostoulas's side of defense, and Mazraoui failed to effectively mark his opponent during the follow-up play.

Brighton's equalizer was particularly telling: Manchester United was organizing an attack in Brighton's half, but Dalot's hasty clearance went straight to midfield. Sesko headed the ball back under pressure, and it fell perfectly to feet of Brighton midfielder Gross, who was unmarked. By this point, Yoro and Aiden Heaven were too far apart, leaving the central area completely open.

Brighton's winning goal was an even greater example of Manchester United's sluggish defensive performance: Fabian Hürzeler's team launched an attack from their own defense, penetrating Manchester United's entire defense with just four simple passes, finally finished by De Cuyper in the box.

How did Shea Lacey perform on his Manchester United debut?

JJ Gabriel's transfer saga dominated headlines this week, but the performance of this young player, who scored Manchester United's first goal in this match, is also noteworthy. Lacey, a 19-year-old academy product, became the first Manchester United youngster to score on his senior debut since 18-year-old Rashford against Midtjylland in February 2016.

His goal in the 8th minute was spectacular. The ball reached Lacey on the right wing, he executed an intelligent change of direction and cut inside to beat his marker, then cleverly finished with his left foot into the bottom right corner, showcasing his creativity.

Lacey had several other impressive moments. An early burst down the right opened up Brighton's defense; he also won a foul in a dangerous area and made 5 defensive contributions. With Yoro and Heaven, the two young central defenders, underperforming, he was one of Manchester United's few bright spots.

What did Carrick say after the match?

In his post-match interview, Carrick said: "For the first 25 minutes, we were in good shape, controlling things, playing how we wanted. Now, looking back, it feels like a long time ago. The feeling at the start and end is vastly different. But you have to accept that a lead won't last forever."

When asked if there were deficiencies in the team selection, he said: "No. Look, all responsibility for the team is mine. When we win, people say I did a good job; if we don't get the desired result, most of the responsibility should be mine. So I accept that calmly and won't shy away from it. That's how it is."

Traduzido por IA.

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