After ten minutes on Wednesday night, Manchester United were cruising. By full time they had lost 3-2 to Brighton, were out of the Carabao Cup in the third round, and Old Trafford was booing. On Sky Sports, Jamie Redknapp was harsh about the whole team, and especially about one substitute: Joshua Zirkzee.
Key takeaways
- United led 2-0 inside 10 minutes through Shea Lacey and Mason Mount, then lost 3-2.
- It is the first time in 50 years they have lost at Old Trafford after leading 2-0.
- Redknapp said Brighton looked better coached and that Zirkzee "couldn't pass the ball" after coming on.
- Michael Carrick is under pressure: four points from four league games, United 13th, and already out of one cup.
From a perfect start to a rare collapse
The start could hardly have gone better. Teenager Shea Lacey scored, Mason Mount added a second, and United were 2-0 up before most fans had settled in. Brighton had made changes to their team, but they stayed calm, kept playing their way, and came back into the game.
Goals from Charalampos Kostoulas, Pascal Gross and Maxim De Cuyper turned it around. When the final whistle went, the crowd booed.
How rare this is
- United had won 143 of their previous 145 games at Old Trafford in which they led 2-0.
- This is the first home defeat from that position in half a century.
Redknapp: the substitutes made it worse
The former Liverpool and England midfielder was clear in his Sky Sports analysis. He said Brighton had a plan and clear patterns of play, even with a changed line-up. Bringing on Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo was meant to steady United. Redknapp said it had the opposite effect.
"United threw on their insurance policy in Bruno and Mainoo. Everyone thought they might be able to make an impact and in fact it made them worse."
— Jamie Redknapp, Sky Sports
He was even more critical of Zirkzee. The Dutch forward replaced Benjamin Sesko in the 66th minute with the score at 2-2, and Redknapp said he failed to do even the basics.
"Zirkzee came on and couldn't pass the ball to his own teammate. Incredible for Brighton, they deserved it."
— Jamie Redknapp, Sky Sports
Zirkzee's night in numbers
The numbers support Redknapp. In more than 20 minutes on the pitch, Zirkzee did very little to change the game.
| Stat (v Brighton) | Zirkzee |
|---|---|
| Touches | 17 |
| Successful dribbles | 0 of 2 |
| Chances created | 0 |
| Shots on target | 0 |
It fits a wider pattern. United signed Zirkzee from Bologna in July 2024 for about £36.5 million. Since then the six-cap Netherlands international has scored nine goals and made four assists in 78 appearances, which is poor for a player of that price.
Pressure builds on Carrick
This defeat hurts Michael Carrick most. He took over as interim manager in January after Ruben Amorim left, led United to an unexpected third-place finish, and was given a two-year contract in May. The new season has gone badly: four points from four Premier League games, 13th in the table, and now a home cup exit against a weakened Brighton side.
The bottom line. Losing a cup tie is one thing. Losing from 2-0 up at home, to a team that looked better organised, is much more serious. Redknapp's criticism of Zirkzee will get the headlines, but his bigger point was about coaching. That puts the focus on Carrick, whose credit from last season is running out quickly.
