"Old Trafford is almost a graveyard" - Peter Crouch says Manchester United are 'in the shadow of former glory' after 4-0 Brighton humiliation 

Former Liverpool forward Peter Crouch has said that Manchester United are in dire straits following their embarassing capitulation at Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Red Devils fell to an embarrassing 4-0 defeat away at Brighton on Saturday, guaranteeing that they'd finish with their lowest-ever points tally in a Premier League campaign. With 58 points in 37 games, United cannot finish higher than sixth and will finish seventh if West Ham United (55) win their two remaining games.

In his column for the Daily Mail, Crouch said that the gloom at Old Trafford is reflective of how far the club have fallen. He said:

''Old Trafford is almost a graveyard for both players and coaches. Look at these individuals all going backwards and suffering from a chronic lack of confidence.''

He added that United's current malaise is reflective of their true standing, and the team's embarrassing defeats should no longer come as a shock to fans, saying:

''So after Saturday's capitulation at Brighton, it is now official that this will be United's worst Premier League season since its inception. Forever in the shadow of former glories, still weighed down by the pressure of the past.

He said that the present team is a poor shadow of the one under legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson, adding:

''They will always be compared to the greats, because the club will always have its illustrious history and huge expectations. But that was Sir Alex Ferguson's United. This is a wholly different, disjointed club now."

He continued:

'The post-Ferguson United is one that can potentially lose at Brighton on any given day. When are we going to stop getting shocked by these results? It will never be seen as acceptable, but right now, this is United's natural place in the modern Premier League — chasing Champions League qualification. Sometimes they will do it, other times they won't.''

The Old Trafford outfit are eight points behind fourth-placed Arsenal. United are a whopping 28 points behind leaders Manchester City, who are poised to win their fourth league title in five years.

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Manchester United's historic 2021-22 season for all the wrong reasons

Brighton & Hove Albion outplayed the Red Devils.

Goals from Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella, Pascal Gross and Leandro Trossard handed Manchester United their fifth consecutive away defeat.

The defeat means even if they beat Crystal Palace on the final day, they'll only have 61 points.

Their previous lowest points tally was 64 points, which they managed in the 2013-14 season, immediately after Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement. Moreover, with 56 goals conceded, United have conceded the most goals in any Premier League season.

It's yet another unwanted piece of history set by Manchester United in a season with far more negatives than positives.