It was the afternoon Manchester United bottomed out. Interim supervisor Ralf Rangnick had lengthy since given up and so had a lot of the gamers as they crashed 4-0 at Brighton in Could final yr.
The end result confirmed United could not qualify for the Champions League – which given the dire state of affairs at that second, was most likely simply as properly – and underlined in daring simply how a lot of a rebuilding job Erik ten Hag had on his fingers.
Not solely was this United aspect hopeless towards the very prime groups within the Premier League, they regarded startlingly inferior to mid-ranking ones as properly.
Unable to win on the highway to avoid wasting their life – that was their fifth consecutive away league loss – they conceded 3 times in 11 second-half minutes in a capitulation that truly shocked no one.
Rangnick had already mentioned the squad wanted ‘open-heart surgical procedure’ to compete for honours once more and anyone on the Amex that day would have agreed together with his headline-grabbing prognosis.
Manchester United hit all-time low once they crashed to a 4-0 defeat at Brighton final season
David de Gea apologises to the travelling United followers after final yr’s capitulation on the Amex
Interim supervisor Ralf Rangnick’s authority had lengthy since crumbled as they hit a contemporary low
As United return to Brighton on Thursday evening, an terrible lot has modified. Ten Hag has turned United right into a profitable machine once more – to some extent – and the outlook is considerably brighter.
It may very well be mentioned Dr Ten Hag has carried out ‘open-heart surgical procedure’ on United however really solely 4 gamers from final Could’s beginning line-up now play elsewhere.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Juan Mata and Nemanja Matic have left United, whereas Alex Telles is out on mortgage at Sevilla. Jesse Lingard and Edinson Cavani, of the substitutes from final Could, have additionally departed.
But the staff now appears infinitely extra resilient on the again and potent going ahead. Of that beginning XI, solely David de Gea, Raphael Varane and Bruno Fernandes stay regulars.
Others together with Diogo Dalot, Victor Lindelof, Scott McTominay and Anthony Elanga have seen extra of the subs’ bench since Ten Hag got here in.
There needed to be a brand new broom and a clear-out when Ten Hag got here in, plus loads of high quality acquisitions, and the United staff that runs out on the Amex on Thursday evening can be much more intimidating.
Lindelof can be in central defence once more, alongside Luke Shaw, however that is solely due to harm points on the again.
Fernandes can even begin, as he all the time does, however surrounded by gamers who weren’t there final season in Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, Antony and Marcel Sabitzer.
United return to Brighton 12 months on wanting a much more intimidating proposition
Bruno Fernandes scored the profitable objective as they beat Aston Villa of their final sport on Sunday
Erik ten Hag has restored a number of the concern issue however there stays a really lengthy strategy to go
A win at Brighton would go away United feeling safe a couple of top-four end this season
Marcus Rashford missed final season’s go to as a result of he had bronchitis however with the England striker within the type of his life, Brighton can be genuinely fearful.
Ten Hag has restored a bit extra of an intimidation issue to United this season, however that hasn’t essentially translated into away wins over their friends within the higher reaches of the desk.
Fulham stay the one staff within the present Premier League prime half United have managed to beat away from house and Brighton, with their European ambitions, can be no pushovers.
We noticed that at Wembley simply a few weeks in the past when a fatigued and labouring United wanted penalties to achieve the FA Cup last.
Certainly, Brighton are one thing of a bogey staff for the Reds. They gained 2-1 at Previous Trafford in Ten Hag’s first aggressive match in cost again in August.
What’s extra, United have by no means gained on the Amex when there was a crowd current.
No one would think about it probably the most intimidating stadium to go to – to the purpose that Brighton usually serve ales sourced from near the visiting membership within the away part to make followers really feel welcome – however United usually come unstuck there.
Jose Mourinho’s staff misplaced 1-0 to a Pascal Gross objective in 2017-18, Brighton’s first Premier League marketing campaign.
United additionally went down 3-2 early within the following marketing campaign because of a calamitous first-half.
Throughout Mission Restart in June 2020, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s males convincingly gained 3-0 and there was an equivalent scoreline within the Carabao Cup in September 2020, each in entrance of no spectators.
Pascal Gross scored Brighton’s winner as they beat United throughout their first Premier League season in 2017-18
Shane Duffy was amongst Brighton’s scorers as they defeated United 3-2 the next season
Jose Mourinho questions what is going on on as United misplaced on the Amex Stadium in August 2018
That final one got here a number of days after United gained 3-2 within the league, however solely courtesy of a Fernandes penalty awarded by VAR for handball after referee Chris Kavanagh had blown for full-time.
Final season’s 4-0 demolition, because of objectives by Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella, Gross and Leandro Trossard, was a contemporary period nadir for United as a membership.
As talked about, quite a lot of the personnel stay within the squad however Ten Hag has upgraded the staff emphatically because of a switch spend of over £200million in his first summer season.
The gamers he inherited heaven’t all the time been moved on, simply demoted to bit-part roles. A midfield mixture of Casemiro and Eriksen is clearly an enchancment on Matic and McTominay.
United’s solely wins on the Amex Stadium have are available behind closed doorways fixtures
Brighton have been livid after a United penalty was awarded after the ultimate whistle in 2020-21
United wanted a penalty miss from Solly March to achieve the FA Cup last final month
Likewise a ahead line of Rashford, Fernandes and Antony appears significantly better than one containing Elanga and Mata, with Lingard and Cavani the choices off the bench.
Nearly a yr on from that four-goal drubbing, United return to Brighton in a a lot stronger place and with the intention of getting significantly better but.
Ten Hag has ended the trophy drought by profitable the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup may observe subsequent month. Win, and even draw, on Thursday evening and a Champions League spot ought to be safe.
Extra survivors from final yr’s staff are more likely to be shipped out this summer season and changed by prime quality upgrades in Ten Hag’s picture.
Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton are properly geared up to reveal United’s remaining limitations. However the opponents Brighton face on Thursday are a completely completely different proposition to that golden afternoon a yr in the past.