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It was a game of two very contrasting halves of football under the floodlights at Old Trafford as Manchester United completed a dramatic comeback victory against Brighton & Hove Albion.
It was far from a convincing performance from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men as they appeared to be on their way to dropping points for the 14th time in 30 games this season after a shambolic first-half display. Danny Welbeck opened the scoring against his former club with a headed goal from close range and gave Brighton a lead which they fought well to protect as the game went on.
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Star forward Marcus Rashford, who returned to the side after recovering from a foot injury, initiated the comeback with a smooth finish across Robert Sanchez's goal at the hour mark. Fellow Englishman and Carrington graduate Mason Greenwood netted the goal that would prove to be the winner later on, with less than ten minutes of regulation time left on the clock.
It was far from perfect, but it was just about enough on the night to leave Old Trafford with all three points for Manchester United. On that note, here are the five biggest talking points from the game.
#5 A recurring theme for Manchester United
Another day, another game where Manchester United conceded the opening goal.
In what has been a strange season of football with no fans in the stadiums right from the start, one of the most recurring traits that Manchester United have displayed is their inability to start games well. The Red Devils had conceded the opener in over ten of their 30 games in the Premier League this season before their game on Sunday and managed to do so again.
Despite their knack of being able to fight back from losing positions, this is a serious issue that must be addressed by every single person at the football club, from the backroom staff to the players who take to the pitch. Leaving it too late is not a sustainable approach by any stretch of the imagination.
The fact that they appear to be in need of a rude awakening on so many occasions to hit top gear is something that surely does not sit well with Solskjaer, and rightly so. A handful of players, as well as the Norwegian himself, have publicly addressed the Red Devils' habit of beginning games poorly. Based on Sunday night's evidence, however, this is a department that still needs a lot of work.
On the other hand, there is no denying that Manchester United's remarkable ability to fight back from losing positions is something to behold. They are statistically the best team in Europe in this regard, as they've won 25 points from losing positions, and the best team in Premier League history as well, having won 95 games after conceding the opener.
#4 Defensive woes on display once again
Manchester United's defence has been polarising so far, to say the least. They had a superb record last season as they conceded fewer goals (36) than anyone in the league bar Liverpool and Manchester City. It's been a very different story this year, as with eight games to go, United are just three goals away from levelling their tally for the 2019/20 campaign.
That being said, 2021 has seen a marked improvement in terms of their defensive record as Welbeck's opener on Sunday was only the tenth goal they've conceded in 15 league games, managing eight clean sheets.
Should they harbour any hope of challenging their cross-town rivals City and reigning champions Liverpool for the Premier League title, they must find a balance between defensive solidity and being able to play expansively.
Solskjaer has, on several occasions, opted for a defensive set-up with two holders in the middle to cover up for the fragility of his defence. Welbeck exposed this fragility on Sunday as he bullied Victor Lindelof in the air and capitalised on Aaron Wan-Bissaka's failure to stick with his man, ghosting in behind to head the ball past Dean Henderson.
United are believed to be in the market for a centre-back this summer and it isn't hard to see why. They are clearly in need of a more commanding centre-back alongside Harry Maguire and neither Lindelof nor the injury-prone Eric Bailly have proven to be the solution so far.
Also read: 5 Greatest players to never win the Premier League title
#3 A thought for Graham Potter
Praising a manager who has failed to win even a third of his side's games in a season could, to some degree, be considered a strange thing to do. However, when the man in question is Graham Potter, this praise is warranted.
Purely in terms of results, Potter's Seagulls have done nothing out of the ordinary so far, with seven wins, 12 defeats, and 11 draws in the league. However, upon closer examination of his side's displays, the English coach's management ability is undeniably worthy of praise.
Brighton were superb on the night and a case could be made for them outshining Manchester United in every phase of play. Building attacks from the back, retaining and recycling possession in midfield, and limiting United's attacking threat were all areas where they impressed profoundly.
But Potter has, on more than a few occasions, been let down by individual errors from his men, much like Neal Maupay's 97th-minute handball in the reverse fixture at the Amex — a game they lost after smashing the cross-bar FIVE times in 90 minutes.
Considering the players and resources in the transfer market available to him, not only has Potter kept them in the division, but has done so by getting them to play bravely. They're far from perfect as they've lost more points from winning positions (20) than any team in the league, but they've left a superb account of themselves at one of the most storied venues in Europe on Sunday.
#2 Mason Greenwood's quiet resurgence
In terms of end product, Mason Greenwood has had a campaign to forget so far. After one of the most impressive breakthrough campaigns by any teenager in Manchester United's history, much was expected of their new #11, but he failed to deliver on numerous occasions so far.
On Sunday, however, he did deliver as he came up with a clutch winner for his side in the final ten minutes of the game. Just moments after moving centrally to take over from Cavani, Greenwood was switched on in the box to get on the end of a scuffed shot from Paul Pogba to score his first headed goal of his Manchester United career to seal the points for his side.
The goal was only his second of the league campaign this season after a Robin van Persie-esque finish away at West Ham in December, and it was a crucial one. More importantly, it has been a long time coming as Greenwood's displays have been getting better with each passing game in 2021, whether he got on the scoresheet or not.
Solskjaer recently praised Greenwood's overall development and Sunday was further evidence of his growth in stature. It was a spirited display from the young Englishman, particularly in the second half, and his predatory finish was a much-needed confidence booster. With Anthony Martial potentially facing the remainder of the campaign on the sidelines due to injury, the stage is set for Greenwood to step up as Manchester United's centre-forward.
#1 The familiar Bruno Fernandes—Marcus Rashford rescue act
Bruno Fernandes might have arrived at Old Trafford just over a year ago, but in that period he's grown into arguably their most important player in quite some time. On Sunday, it was the Portuguese who made the difference once again along with Rashford as the pair broke Brighton hearts in the second half.
Neither had a particularly flashy first half. In fact, they were both poor, with Fernandes lacking his usual composure and Rashford running down blind alleys and into walls of blue shirts. However, one moment in the second half — where Fernandes waited on the ball to release the English forward with great precision — was enough to undo Brighton. Rashford's deadly finish from close range brought United right back into the game.
It's been a familiar story for the Red Devils with these two stars coming to their rescue time and again. Sunday's goal has taken Rashford and Fernandes' combined output this season to 62 (!) goals and assists, making it one of the most productive attacking duos in Europe. The 26-year-old was at the heart of things for the second goal as well as it was his measured ball to find Paul Pogba on the edge of the box that led to Greenwood's well-taken goal.
On a night where Manchester United were far from their scintillating best, Fernandes and Rashford's moments of magic were enough to take them past a defiant Brighton side.
Also read: 5 Transfers that dramatically changed the fortunes of a club
