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It is a mark of champions that they can grind out results even when they are far from their best. Manchester United have done that for years now and they have built an empire out of being efficient. Against Brighton, Solskjaer's team were guilty of becoming complacent and were almost made to pay for it. But it is a mark of their maturity and development under their new manager, that the team has managed to continue their winning form.
Solskjaer tried to go with the same team that had won against Tottenham and even though Shaw had to be replaced by Dalot in the 11th hour, the men showed the same grit from Wembley to win all three points. After starting the second half with a comfortable 2-0 lead, the United players, strangely, put their foot off the pedal. They had believed that it would be possible to cruise through the game, but Brighton hit them hard by getting a goal back in the 72nd minute.
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From then on, United held on, sitting deep nervously and often resembling their shape from Wembley, even though they were rarely threatened. The blistering first half turned out to be enough to bail them out in the end, but Solskjaer will be fuming deep within at the state of things in the second half.
On a night when they were far from the best, Solskjaer's team managed to win all three points and for that, the Norwegian has these 5 men to thank.
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#5 Nemanja Matic
The Serbian has been getting back to his best under Solskjaer and had another strong outing against Brighton. Matic started as the deepest of the midfielders but soon found himself further ahead as the game progressed. He was quick to close down the opposition and ensured that the United defense was always well guarded.
The Serbian also used his passing range to unlock the defenses, with his pass to Pogba leading the way to the penalty decision. It was not the first time the Serbian had attempted a forward pass, he regularly joined the attack in the first half, as United piled on the pressure on the opposition.
However, it was in the second half, as the game slowed down, that Matic's presence was vital, as Brighton repeatedly caught United off guard. The Serbian had to be alert and also dropped deep to sit with his defense, providing additional shield. Ultimately, Matic ensured that United's slender lead in the second half remained intact.
#4 Paul Pogba
Like the rest of the team, the Frenchman did most of his good work in the first half. Pogba was the creator in chief as usual and was inventive with his play in the first half. His desire to run at the defense and trickery on the ball meant that Brighton were busy trying to stop him throughout the first half. However, it was easier said than done because Pogba influenced the ball from various areas of the pitch and also mixed his game to keep the opposition on their toes.
In the 27th minute, the Frenchman made his mark on the game. Latching on to Matic's long ball, Pogba's first touch allowed him to go free into the penalty box. In a bid to stop him, Bong brought him down and gave away the penalty. The Frenchman converted well from the spot and gave United a much deserved lead.
In the second half though, Pogba was guilty of slowing down and losing his grip on the game. It allowed Brighton to get back into the game, however, the Frenchman defended well as a part of his team and helped United earn all three points.
#3 Victor Lindelof
Even though United failed to keep a clean sheet, Lindelof was once again the pick of the defenders. The Swede keeps on developing under Solskjaer and his recent form might be a reason why United have been quiet in the January transfer window.
Against Brighton, Lindelof was strong as usual, leading his defense and showing great ball playing abilities. He came close to scoring twice, heading just wide from corners on both occasions. He then almost registered an assist, when he set Martial free with a brilliant cross field ball, only for Button to come up with a great save.
However, the Swede's best moments were in his own half, where he defended like a man on a mission. He was alert on the ball and did not just win the ball back, but also tried to find his players whenever he had the ball. He combined well with Herrera and Matic to ensure that the ball kept moving around and his ball control was evident in tight spaces.
Lindelof was massive in the later stages, as United held on to earn three vital points. Solskjaer will be pretty proud of him right now.
#2 Ander Herrera
As always, the Spaniard was a bundle of energy on the pitch. In a welcome change, Herrera piled forward as often as possible and his late runs always kept the opposition on their toes. He must have covered every blade of grass on the pitch, because he was every where in the game. Every time United went forward, Herrera was lurking outside the box, waiting to pounce. He sent in quite a few through ball, splitting the Brighton defense with his intelligent passing and even registered a shot on target.
Herrera was also decisive in his defending. He regularly tracked back and whenever United lost the ball, he was the first to retreat. He was brilliant in his closing down of the opposition, which unsettled Brighton throughout the game. His alertness enabled United to deal with Brighton counters and he was always around to help his defense out.
By the end of the second half, when United were under pressure, Herrera tried to keep the ball and stop the opposition from coming at United. He also used his body well to shield the ball and won at least two vital free kicks under pressure, which helped United see out the game.
#1 Marcus Rashford
The English youngster now has 4 goals in his last 4 games and since Solskjaer took over, has scored 5 goals and also registered 1 assist in 7 appearances.
Rashford started the game through the center, but he had the license to roam. As such, he tormented the back four by popping up through the lines across the entire back four. He swapped places with both Lingard and Martial and forced the defense back. And his combination of speed and power was menacing for the opposition.
Brighton has no answer to the Englishman's force and Rashford's ability to run at the defenses at will, coupled with his trickery cause the opposition all sorts of trouble. If there were any doubts regarding him leading the line, those were brushed aside in the 42nd minute.
After receiving the ball from Dalot in the 42nd minute, Rashford showed clever feet to lose his marker and then curled a delicious ball into the far corner. It showed his maturity as well as his abilities. Brighton were also threatened by his free kicks and long rangers throughout the game.
Rashford took up defensive responsibilities by closing down the opposition and provided United an outlet during the intense opposition pressure in the second half. By marking his 150th match for Manchester United with his 41st goal, Rashford lit up the night and earned his team 3 points.
