The comeback kings do it again!
Manchester United completed the comeback to secure an important 3 points after beating Brighton and Hove Albion 2-1 in the Barclays Premier League at Old Trafford to consolidate their 2nd position in the league table.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have gained the most points this season after trailing in a game with an incredible 25 points!
Manchester United moved to 60 points in the Premier League, now 11 points clear off 5th place in their bid for UEFA Champions League football next season, with 8 games to go.
The Red Devils are only behind neighbours Manchester City in the league, who are just 11 points away from regaining their Premier League crown that they lost last season to Liverpool.
Man United, on the other hand, opened their gap in the race for 2nd after Leicester City lost to Man City earlier on and Chelsea suffered at the hands of West Bromwich Albion as Thomas Tuchel’s men were thrashed 5-2.
United are now 4 points ahead of the Foxes and 9 points ahead of the Blues who suffered their first defeat under new manager Tuchel.
Mason Greenwood was the hero for Manchester as he scored only his second Premier League goal of this campaign and his first ever headed goal for the Red Devils.
The young English player said, “It’s a confidence booster, I’ve not scored as many in the Premier League. I scored a header tonight which is something I’ve been working on a lot behind the scenes.”
It has been a low-scoring season for the Manchester academy product, having only netted his 6th goal in all competitions this time. He had 10 and 17 goals in the previous 2 seasons, respectively.
However, manager Ole Gunnar-Solskjaer was showering praises on his young attacker saying, “The world nowadays is so on to stats and this and that.
“The boy [Greenwood] has played fantastically [during] the last two or three months and has really come on. If he keeps learning and improving he will score more – he’s a lethal finisher.”
“Mason [Greenwood] was mature. Today he was one of our brightest players. He was clean, he was tidy and he got the goal. It’s a header inside the six-yard box and that’s what we need more from Mason.”
Before Mason Greenwood found the winner for United, it was Bruno Fernandes who was instrumental once again for the Red Devils.
The Portuguese star picked out Marcus Rashford with a perfectly timed pass that Rashford placed into the bottom corner with a first time hit to level the game after former Manchester United forward Danny Welbeck opened the scoring for the Seagulls.
Bruno Fernandes (L) and Paul Pogba (R) were instrumental in United’s victory. (Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Brighton boss Graham Potter was a bit disappointed but as usual, very diplomatic in his post-match presser. The manager said, “We contributed well in the game. We took the lead and were probably the team which carried the most threat in the first half – we just missed that final pass.
“Manchester United responded in the second half without creating too many chances. They scored from not too much.”
Speaking on the penalty that Brighton were denied when Manchester United captain Harry Maguire seemed to have clipped Welbeck’s ankles, Potter said, “When it was live, I thought it was a penalty then I suppose it’s the clear and obvious debate.
“If Mike Dean had given it, I don’t think VAR would have overruled it. There’s nothing we can do in the end. We’re disappointed to come away with nothing.”
Brighton remain winless at Old Trafford in all competitions, losing 11 and drawing a couple. The Seagulls are just a few points above relegation and should be able to retain their place in England’s top flight for the 4th consecutive year.
Danny Welbeck became the first ex-Manchester United player to score three Premier League goals against the Red Devils and only Wayne Rooney (15) and Marcus Rashford (13) have scored more Premier League goals as teenagers for Manchester United than Mason Greenwood (12).
Manchester United face a stern test against Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, next as Brighton have a stiff task against Everton.
