The effect which losing to the Albion can have on highly paid, supposedly world class managers will never cease to amaze. Ruben Amorim was the latest victim, going so far as to describe the current Manchester United side as maybe the worst in the club’s 147 year history after they were beaten 3-1 by Brighton at Old Trafford.
“In 10 games in Premier League, we won two,” said Amorim. “Imagine what this is for a fan of Manchester United. Imagine what this is for me.
“We are getting a new coach who is losing more than the last coach. I have full knowledge of that. We are the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United.”
And with that, all everyone wanted to talk about after Manchester United 1-3 Brighton was what Amirom had claimed. When the focus should have been on just how good the Albion were at Old Trafford.
Fabian Hurzeler got his team selection spot. He pinpointed the glaring weaknesses caused by Amirom sticking religiously to a 3-4-3 formation, even though United clearly do not have the right players to make it work.
Kaoru Mitoma and Yankubu Minteh were electric down the wings. Danny Welbeck caused his normal high amount of problems against his former club.
Yasin Ayari gave his best performance in an Albion shirt. Carlos Baleba turned heads with a midfield display in which he dominated Bruno Fernandes.
And the back four were so good that United did not have a single shot on target from open play in a Premier League home game. The first time that has happened since such statistics began being recorded.
Brighton’s substitutes played their parts too. Solly March was involved in the build up to the third goal. Scored by fellow replacement Georginio Rutter.
It was just about the perfect demonstration of how to go to Old Trafford and comfortably beat United. To see Amorim and those worst United team in history comments dominate any coverage of the game denied Brighton the credit they deserved. You could even argue it was disrespectful to Hurzeler and the Albion from Amirom.
Which is exactly what former England international Shaun Wright-Phillips has done. Wright-Phillips told Genting Casino that the Albion deserved to be in the spotlight for continuing to cause the so-called big teams problems season after season.
Even though the Amex is constantly raided for players and coaching staff. Wright-Phillips did not name one of his former clubs Chelsea in that, but don’t worry Shaun. We all know what you mean and who you are thinking about.
“I don’t think that Amorim should have said that this is the worst Manchester United team in history. But I also don’t think he should take anything away from Brighton because Brighton are a good team and have been for the best part of four or five years,” said Wright-Phillips.
“Brighton have been playing incredible football, causing all the top teams incredible problems, and that’s while they’ve sold all their best players year-after-year.”
“I also think that Ruben Amorim needs to take a look at himself. He must be able to see that the players in his squad can’t play his preferred system. Or they’re not doing it how he wants them to.”
“Perhaps Amorim needs to change his tactics from now until the end of the season and wait until the summer to implement his style of play with his own players. Because it isn’t working for him at the moment.”
“Amad Diallo has been the anomaly. He’s been brilliant. But you can’t ask him to play as a wing back and then have him playing off the striker. Amorim needs specialist players to be able to play his tactical system in the most effective way.”
Wright-Phillips mentioning Diallo further highlights how well the Albion did at Old Trafford. The winger hit a 12 minute hat-trick to give the Red Devils a 3-1 win over bottom side Southampton in their previous game before Brighton rocked up in Manchester.
Yet Diallo barely got a sniff against the Albion. Pervis Estupinan did an underappreciated defensive job on him for much of the game.
Then when it looked like Estupinan was tiring and Diallo becoming more prominent in the final 15, Hurzeler brought on Tariq Lamptety.
How many managers would be bold enough to change their defence whilst holding a two-goal lead in the closing stages at Old Trafford?
The decision was richly vindicated as Lamptey ensured any Diallo resurgence was short-lived. Brighton ended up seeing out the victory comfortably; an important step forward for a side who have previously blown two-goal advantages with five minutes remaining against Wolves and Leicester this season.
In contrast to those struggles against sides fighting relegation, the Albion have now beaten Manchester United twice. Hurzeler has also overseen victories against Manchester City, Tottenham and Newcastle United. And gone unbeaten versus Arsenal.
Pep Guardiola, Ange Postecoglou and Mikel Arteta all joined the United boss in having a meltdown after playing Brighton. Although none went quite so far as Amorim by labelling their side the worst in their respective club’s history.
Postecoglou gave a strange post-match interview in which he refused to look at the cameras, staring instead at the ground after seeing the Albion recover from 2-0 down to beat Spurs 3-2.
Guardiola confronted Jan Paul van Hecke on the pitch following the final whistle of Brighton 2-1 City. There were shades of his touchline argument with Glow Up Graham Potter on the only other occasion the Seagulls have beaten the Citizens in the Premier League.
Arteta meanwhile launched scathing attacks on the officials after both Arsenal draws with Brighton. Like Amorim’s comments, that did a disservice to the Seagulls.
Since Roberto De Zerbi led Brighton into the top six, the #TeamsLikeBrighton phenomenon on social media whereby opposition fans moan they should not be losing to the Albion has sadly become far less frequent.
It is therefore good to see Premier League managers upholding the tradition in their own way.
