Three errors committed by Ruben Amorim during Manchester United’s defeat to Brighton.

Three errors committed by Ruben Amorim during Manchester United’s defeat to Brighton.

Manchester United suffered a disappointing defeat, losing 3-1 to Brighton and Hove Albion at Old Trafford.

The match between Manchester United and Brighton was anticipated to serve as a significant assessment of Ruben Amorim’s team, particularly in light of their enhanced performance in 2025 thus far.Following a dismal performance in December, United regrouped, securing draws against Liverpool and Arsenal, which included a triumph in a penalty shootout.

Subsequently, they achieved a victory against the last-placed Southampton, albeit with some apprehension. A match against a skilled Brighton team, akin to the Bournemouth squad that presented challenges for United, was inevitably destined to create difficulties.

Manchester United suffered a defeat of 3-1 against Brighton, having entered halftime with the score level. The overall standard of performance was, regrettably, insufficient.Leny Yoro ought to have been relegated to the sideline.

The enhancements exhibited by Manchester United in their matches against Liverpool and Arsenal were largely attributable to a robust defensive trio comprising Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire, and Matthijs de Ligt. This was disrupted against Southampton, with Leny Yoro being introduced in place of Harry Maguire, who required a period of recuperation.

Lenny exhibited subpar performance against the Saints, and similarly, he was inadequate when facing a skilled Brighton team. Concurrently, Lisandro Martinez did not participate in the match for even a single minute, and his absence was felt in Manchester United’s ability to construct play from the defensive line.

Amorim ought to have maintained the same front three that he initially employed at the beginning of the year, opting to rotate players in the Europa League instead, should he have wished to incorporate Yoro once more.The athletes of Manchester United exhibited a deficiency in concentration.

Although certain errors can be ascribed to the players of Manchester United, a discernible pattern has emerged in recent matches at Old Trafford. United have consistently allowed goals to be scored early in either the first or second half, indicating a deficiency in concentration and focus.

This situation affected United within a mere five minutes against Brighton, after four minutes during the home match against Newcastle, and within the initial five minutes following halftime against both Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth. After a certain period, this phenomenon ceases to be mere coincidence and evolves into a discernible theme.

It is incumbent upon Coach Ruben Amorim to address this matter. Although this issue cannot be exclusively categorised as a singular ‘mistake’ pertaining to this particular match, one could contend that the manager of Manchester United has made an error by failing to rectify it thus far.

His players appeared to lack focus, thereby presenting themselves with a formidable challenge. Toby Collyer was required to commence the contest. The current composition of Manchester United’s team ought to reflect a meritocratic system, wherein players who demonstrate the requisite performance and skill are duly compensated with a starting position.