Man United player ratings vs Brighton: Six players get 3/10 or worse in FA Cup nightmare

Manchester United were knocked out of the FA Cup after a 2-1 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Interim head coach Darren Fletcher made a few changes, including handing starting spots to Leny Yoro, Kobbie Mainoo and Mason Mount.

United burst out of the blocks with real intensity, but their early dominance counted for little as gilt-edged chances went begging.

Brighton punished that wastefulness ruthlessly, with Brajan Gruda striking early to suck the life out of the Theatre of Dreams.

The mood darkened further after the break when former United striker Danny Welbeck returned to haunt his old club with a superb finish.

Benjamin Sesko briefly reignited belief by pulling one back late on, giving the home crowd a flicker of hope.

However, that hope was swiftly extinguished as Shea Lacey’s two yellow cards left United down to ten men, ending any realistic chance of a dramatic comeback.

Player Ratings

Senne Lammens – 4/10

Counted himself lucky not to be punished after a dreadful attempt to play out from the back. It was another outing without a clean sheet.

Diogo Dalot – 2/10

Should have put United ahead inside the first minute, but lacked composure and confidence when clean through in a one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

He is consistently awful in the final third.

Leny Yoro – 3/10

Failed to get tight enough to Welbeck for the second goal and did little to strengthen his case, offering no real evidence that he is currently ahead of Heaven in the pecking order.

Lisandro Martinez – 5/10

Produced a crucial goal-line clearance early on, but the rebound unfortunately led to the opening goal. Nearly scored at the other end with an audacious effort.

Patrick Dorgu – 2/10

Far too passive defensively, allowing Gruda the time and space to thread a simple through ball to Welbeck for the second goal. A moment of criminally poor defending.

Manuel Ugarte – 3/10

Switched off at a decisive moment, allowing Welbeck to drift away far too easily for the goal. A lapse of concentration like that is unforgivable for a holding midfielder at this level.

Kobbie Mainoo – 4/10

Kept things neat and tidy in midfield. Two starts have now coincided with two cup exits, and he must begin imposing himself more consistently to justify the growing hype around him.

Bruno Fernandes – 6/10

Forced a fine save from the Brighton goalkeeper with a well-struck free-kick and added another assist to his tally.

Once again, United looked overly reliant on him, leaving Fernandes burdened with both creative responsibility and defensive work as the game wore on.

Matheus Cunha – 5/10

Should have claimed an assist with his very first touch after releasing Dalot with a superb pass.

He went close to scoring himself, but aside from a few bright moments, his overall influence on the game was fairly ineffective.

Mason Mount – 3/10

Mount looks lost on the flank in this 4-2-3-1 formation. He did not see much of the ball and barely made any impact.

Benjamin Sesko – 6/10

Sesko added another well-taken goal to his tally, showing that he could be lethal in front of the goal if he is getting appropriate service.

Substitution

Shea Lacey – 3/10

The teenager did show a glimpse of quality by creating a chance for Sesko, but his evening unravelled after picking up a second yellow card for dissent.

A harsh but valuable learning moment at senior level.

Joshua Zirkzee – 4/10

Another early cup exit further limits his opportunities, leaving the Dutchman with even fewer minutes to stake a claim in the side.

Casemiro – 5/10

Lost the ball with his first pass after coming on for Ugarte. Created a chance for Lacey with his backheel pass

Harry Maguire – 5/10

Fired a header straight at the goalkeeper.

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .