A game against Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford was a welcome respite, coming between two vital games. A week before was Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s most important victory so far, a 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley, while in one weeks time comes an FA Cup clash against Arsenal at the Emirates.
The Red Devils 3-2 loss away to Brighton in August was an early low-point in Manchester United’s season, so they came into this match hoping to continue their revival under the Norwegian. Under Jose Mourinho, Manchester United struggled to break down teams that defended deep, but their attack under Solskjaer has allowed them to deal with these teams more easily than they have in the years since Sir Alex Ferguson retired.
Manchester United winning 2-1 against a solid defensive outfit in Brighton may not look as flashy as some of their more recent performances. It’s these types of victories though that had become too infrequent in the recent past.
Line-up
Manchester United made only one change from the team that beat Tottenham a week earlier. Luke Shaw pulled up injured in the warm-up and was replaced in the starting line-up by Diogo Dalot. It was a bit of a surprise that Diogo Dalot lined up at left-back, rather than swapping with right-back Ashley Young. The squad lined up in a 4-3-3, with the same midfield three of Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, and Ander Herrera that has worked so effectively during Solskjaers reign and has developed an effective understanding together.
Brighton boss Chris Hughton made no changes to the side that played well but went down 1-0 to Liverpool. The Seagulls played in a 4-5-1, with 35-year-old Glenn Murray leading the line. One of the primary strengths of Brighton is the partnership of Lewis Dunk and Shane Duffy in central defence. However, they were missing former Valencia player Mathew Ryan, their number one goalkeeper, who is currently away on international duty with Australia at the Asian Cup.
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