Man United pay dearly for failing to resolve priority position in defeat against Brighton.

Man United’s finishing and defending were the deciding factors in their loss to Brighton, as they conceded an unprecedented number of goals beyond the 90th minute.

Manchester United must have anticipated that this season would conclude the previous one. It already appears to be an extension of the same chapter, with an additional defeat in the form of additional time.

Arsenal, Fulham, and Chelsea administered their own Fergie Time medication to United, and Brighton is the latest to do so. This was reminiscent of the pandemonium that engulfed United in Erik ten Hag’s second campaign, when they conceded 20 goals in the 80th minute and beyond. Brighton also inflicted an added-time defeat on United two seasons ago.

The initial half was the pinnacle of United’s performance. They finished the match behind, and their equalisation on the hour was unexpected. United have already collapsed if the victory over Fulham was a performance to build on.

Ten Hag’s in-game administration will be reviewed once more. Again, their back four was frequently exposed by their midfield. Kobbie Mainoo appears to be overburdened following a taxing nine months, and the cumbersome Casemiro continues to commence by default. Both events transpired for the entire duration.

That is a responsibility of United’s hierarchy as much as it is of Ten Hag, as they have yet to reinforce the central midfield, which was a priority. Manuel Ugarte’s necessity is currently more pressing.

In addition to Mainoo, that department is dysfunctional. Instead, Ten Hag addressed Scott McTominay during what may have been his final appearance. Antony arrived even later, and his sole contribution was to concede a free kick. Christian Eriksen is as active on matchday as a mascot.

There is also the possibility of another injury for United to address. At the interval, Mason Mount was replaced by Joshua Zirkzee, who was a custodian rather than a goal scorer.

Ten Hag will reflect on Amad’s opportunity at 0-0 and Zirkzee’s fateful intervention at 1-1. For the second week in a row, substitutes Zirkzee and Alejandro Garnacho collaborated; however, this time, Zirkzee was on the line and unfortunate enough to deflect Garnacho’s goalbound tap-in over the line.

When the ball was received by Amad, Garnacho had just returned to the dugout after a rigorous warm-up. It was shortly bouncing around the Brighton net. Amad, who was bereaved by the passing of his stepmother on Friday, expressed his desire to participate in the game. He scored his fourth United goal on his fifth consecutive Premier League appearance.

Amad unquestionably possesses the resilience that the club’s greats possessed, which are specific prerequisites for a proper United winger. His equaliser in the second half was adroit, despite the fact that he missed two opportunities to score in a bland first half.

His misjudged volley in the first half will be a source of regret for him. This would have resulted in a score of 1-0, as opposed to 1-1. United has suffered two effective defeats prior to the conclusion of August as a result of their inefficiency in front of goal.

In the 90th minute, Amad received a pat on the head after earning a respite. Ruud van Nistelrooy hugged him, and his teammates reciprocated with additional backslaps before their heads fell five minutes later.

Amad, Marcus Rashford, and Bruno Fernandes have each missed at least two promising opportunities in their three matches this month. Garnacho and Mount were also rendered ineffective against Fulham, and the Zirkzee bounce prevented them from securing a 2-1 lead at Brighton.

That is a minimum of nine opportunities for goal scoring that are either excellent or great. Three goals have been tallied by United. Two of the three goals they have scored have occurred in the 89th and 95th minutes.

The scoreline was influenced by the performance of the wings. Kaoru Mitoma, who was severely missed by Brighton last season, capitalised on Harry Maguire’s uncertainty from Joao Pedro’s centre, and Welbeck crowned the tenth anniversary of his departure from his boyhood club with a sixth goal against United and the 100th of his impressive career.

Van Nistelrooy embraced Welbeck during a stoppage, and the grateful United supporters applauded him when he was withdrawn. In the 95th minute, the unmarked Pedro was crossed by the nimble Simon Adingra.

Zirkzee was one of four substitutes who warmed up during the pause, and his warm-up was the most rigorous, as he was taken through his paces by United fitness coach Charlie Owen. Mount, United’s most outstanding player of the first half, was substituted by Zirkzee.

Garnacho was instructed by Ten Hag to prepare for his introduction as the second half was scarcely underway. In the 56th minute, United supporters erupted into a rendition of “Viva Garnacho” after Rashford was flagged offside again, imploring Ten Hag to send on their game-changer.

Garnacho promptly crossed the white line to assist Rashford. His performance level has progressively declined in the first few weeks of this term, and he remains without a goal after three games.

Ten Hag initially advised Rashford to relocate. Rashford promptly shifted to the opposite flank, where he was unable to hear the ball, and was subsequently caught offside by Andre Onana’s cut pass. Rashford appeared to be directing his frustrations towards Onana. He was significantly more histrionic during the defensive distribution when he was on the left.

United resolved to introduce Rashford into the game; however, he frequently appeared to be offside. Rashford was ahead of the final man in the initial phase, even before his disallowed goal. Van Nistelrooy, who was adept at manipulating the offside rule for years prior to the introduction of the Video Assistant Referee, extended his finger.

Rashford’s body language and impatience are indicative of a goalscorer who is experiencing difficulty in scoring goals. Rashford attempted a crossfield punt that was thwarted as the first half concluded. He briefly observed the heavens. The intensity of the precipitation increased. When his number appeared on the screen, Rashford was still enthusiastically applauded by the United supporters he passed.

Mount continued to harass his teammates, urging them to enter the final third after he cornered Jan Paul van Hecke. The enthusiastic United fans responded with acclaim when Mount altered his strategy to expedite an attack.

Mount’s 45 minutes in a United uniform were his most influential and exceptional. He was removed during the interval, which was likely a result of an injury, which was disheartening for him.

Lisandro Martinez and Diogo Dalot’s positioning for their collaborations captivated Ten Hag. Dalot skilfully constructed a clear opening for Amad seconds later, wholly of his own devising. United’s starting forwards were unable to score until Amad regained possession of the ball.

If only for United, he would have placed it at 0-0.