Man Utd must immediately abandon 23-touch flop that was outclassed by Shea Lacey

Manchester United crashed out of the FA Cup in the third round after suffering a 2-1 defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford.

In the second match after Ruben Amorim, there was a lackluster performance for United, who will now only play a 40-match season in 2025/26.

It didn’t take long for the visitors to take the lead. Brajan Gruda opened the scoring just 12 minutes into the clash, finding himself in acres of space in the penalty area and tapping home a loose ball. He made no mistake from a few yards out, lashing home to give the Seagulls the lead.

Despite 12 shots in the first half, United failed to equalize. Then, just after the hour mark, things got even worse. Former Red Devils star Danny Welbeck doubled his side’s lead by scoring a superb effort past Senne Lammens.

Darren Fletcher’s side managed to come back from a goal down thanks to Benjamin Sesko, who now has three goals in his last two games. However, the Slovenian’s header from Bruno Fernandes’ corner proved too little, too late, and United failed to score the second goal to send the match into extra time.

It was a day to forget for United, but the teenage star Shea Lacey impressed on his FA Cup debut, although he received a red card late on.

Lacey’s performance against Brighton

18-year-old starlet Lacey had a heartbreaking end to the match, receiving two bookings within minutes after committing a foul, then reacting by throwing the ball to the ground in anger. He was clearly devastated by the result as he left the field.

Still, it’s important not to let this harsh dismissal tarnish the Liverpool-born winger’s fantastic performance.

Operating on the right side, Lacey was a constant threat for Brighton, driving their defense with determination and looking to offer something in the final third.

He received plaudits for his performance despite the red card. United’s number 61 was given a 6/10 rating after the match. by Manchester Evening News reporter Tyrone Marshall. He said Lacey “lifted” Fletcher’s side through her deception.

The 18-year-old’s stats also back this up. He made a big impact with just 15 touches of the ball, creating one chance and attempting two dribbles. It was a positive performance from the Carrington graduate.

There’s certainly a case to be made that Lacey has overshadowed one of United’s main strikers.

Man United star overshadowed by Lacey

Playing a more unknown role on the right, it was a tough day at the office for the Red Devils number seven, Mason mount. He struggled to make much of an impact going forward and didn’t really pose the dynamic threat that Lacey presented later in the match.

This was certainly echoed by Marshall who rated Mount lower than the teenager at just 5/10. The journalist said he was “struggling to play his role on the right” and pointed out that he was also “a weakness defensively” against Ferdi Kadioglou.

The 27-year-old’s numbers at the end of the match suggest it was a night to forget. He made only 23 touches during the hour, ten fewer than Lammens, and lost the ball five times. He failed to create a chance and completed only eight of nine passes in the Seagulls’ half.

It is currently unclear who will win the next game for United without a manager. They face Manchester City at Old Trafford on Saturday lunchtime, but Mount’s performance against Brighton could have hurt his chances of starting on the right wing.

Lacey, of course, is banned for this match, but the Red Devils have plenty of options. Amad and Bryan Mbeumo are back from CAN after their respective nations were eliminated this weekend.

This gives the manager two new players to select on the right, and surely reduces Mount’s chances of starting on that side. He certainly didn’t offer much against Brighton and could therefore lose his place in the team.

Related

Fernandes upgrade: Man Utd ready to sign one of the ‘best in the world’

This Man Utd transfer target could replace Bruno