Man Utd news: Mbeumo, Cunha shine as Amorim’s resurgent Red Devils overcome tricky Brighton test

Manchester United beat Brighton & Hove Albion 4-2 at Old Trafford on Saturday to continue their recent resurgence under Ruben Amorim.

Goals from Matheus Cunha, Casemiro, and Bryan Mbeumo did the damage for the hosts, who moved up to sixth place in the Premier League as a result.

Here, Sports News Blitz writer Robert Bore reviews an exciting Red Devils performance.

Bogey team threatens good form

What a week it had been in the run up to this game, to be fair.

United finally winning at Anfield last Sunday, which was made all the sweeter after the desperation of Liverpool’s 25-man attack before Harry Maguire slab-headed the ball into the bottom corner to spark scenes.

Back-to-back wins – tick!

Tactical nous in operation – tick!

Ruben Amorim narrative turned on its head – tick!

Looking up instead of looking down – tick!

So here we are, six days on with another potential bogey team ready to trample all over the flowers in the United garden. Welcome to Manchester, Brighton.

After three Albion Premier League wins at Old Trafford on the bounce and victories in six out of the last seven against their hosts, suddenly that pint didn’t taste as refreshing.

So what of the game? Sat here pre-match, the usual doubts surface. 

How will we set-up? Does Benjamin Sesko return? Is Leny Yoro drafted back in? Has Diogo Dalot finally been consigned to the dustbin?

Well, upon the teamsheet reveal, items one and two were proved correct although Dalot would survive – Maguire unavailable with a knock and Mason Mount consigned to the bench.

Amorim admitted that despite the win over the mob from down the East Lancs Road, there were things he wasn’t happy about and that Brighton would pose a different challenge.

And with four goals in his last three games, what price for Danny Welbeck doing the damage? 7/4 anytime scorer.

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Flying start for resurgent hosts

As it happened, United flew out of the blocks, Bryan Mbuemo crossing for Bruno Fernandes inside the first minute to head wide.

Matheus Cunha hit the side-netting from a very tight angle and the hosts looked hungry.

But the visitors showed exactly why they are so well regarded, Welbeck outstripping Dalot on the right and crossing for Yankuba Minteh but the flag beat him and his effort beat the far post.

Yasin Ayari bought a cheap free kick out of Yoro from which Ferdi Kadioglu saw a shot blocked while apparent United target Carlos Baleba followed up with a tame shot of his own.

Brighton had woken up and looked sharp on the ball and half a yard quicker; Sesko had yet to touch the ball some 10 minutes in.

Welbeck could have scored in the 15th minute, more good Brighton play ending with the ball cut back to the striker whose shot was saved by Senne Lammens.

There were shouts for a penalty when Amad Diallo looked to have nicked the ball past Maxim De Cuyper but VAR claimed a slight nick on the ball from what looked a silly challenge.

Cunha saw a rasping effort saved by Bart Verbruggen as United took a turn to impose themselves, the Brazilian showing twinkle toes to make space on the edge of the box.

Lammens continued to endear himself to the Stretford End by claiming an inswinging corner out of the chilly Manchester air like he was picking an apple off a branch, something that seemed unthinkable only a few weeks ago.

Referee Anthony Taylor made his second big call as Mbeumo went over in and around the Brighton box after seeming to nick in before Lewis Dunk, who had thrown out an arm, but there was nothing doing.

Mbeumo was again denied a free-kick in the next phase of play and then moments later Sesko the same but it didn't matter.

More United pressure in and around the box saw Albion on the back foot and the deadlock was broken when Casemiro played the final ball into Cunha, who bent it deliciously into the far corner for his first United goal.  

Minteh almost slalomed through as hearts went in mouths but United had settled again and the movement of Cunha and Mbuemo was proving to be a real handful.

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Casemiro, Mbeumo extend United lead

They doubled their lead with a massive slice of luck pie.

Shaw did well to nick a ball out from the back past a day-dreaming Georginio Rutter and Casemiro suddenly found himself with the goal in front of him and a few yards of space.

He decided to roll the dice with a shot that is probably gobbled up by the keeper if not for a huge deflection off Ayari wrong-footing Verbruggen. 2-0. Happy days.

Sesko should have made it three – Cunha’s first touch sublime, Bruno’s pass inch-perfect and Mbeumo’s tee-up for the Slovenian inviting – but the striker’s first touch was perhaps a shade too strong and the angle beat him.

But the football was silky. This had shades of United teams of old – slick, incisive, edge-of-the-seat stuff.

Rutter should maybe have done better on the stroke of half-time when he decided to tie his legs up in knots and not connect and at the break Amorim cracked a bit of a smile.

Verbruggen prevented a third early in the second half, more slick United football cutting the Seasiders open and ending with Fernandes, on his 300th United appearance, being denied at the near post.  

Sesko stung Verbruggen’s hands after poor play from Ayari as United continued to press but Brighton went close, Lammens getting a finger to a ball curling into his far post.

An hour gone and a reminder it would only need an Albion goal to set the nerves jangling.

No sooner had I typed that sentence it was 3-0. More slick football, Sesko again showing good feet in the build up, and Mbeumo slotting past Verbruggen.

Ayden Heaven replaced Shaw to go in alongside De Ligt who, again, was starting to look like the defender we thought we were buying with another quality performance.

Patrick Dorgu and Kobbie Mainoo followed for Amad and Casemiro, who was rightly given rapturous applause as he departed.  

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Tight finish at Old Trafford

Mbeumo was denied his second by another strong Verbruggen hand before referee Taylor then showed a yellow to Dorgu as Minteh got in behind, but even that looked harsh as Minteh lost control of the ball with two awful touches – albeit at pace – as the Dane connected.

The resulting free kick was in a decent spot, 25 yards out and central, and Welbeck accepted the invitation greedily, curling the ball over the wall and past Lammens.

It was a glimmer of hope for the visitors and United would have to go again.

The changes and the goal looked to have unsettled the hosts a little with Brighton wasting a couple of half chances.

Sesko saw yellow just before Amorim made more changes, Cunha off for Manuel Ugarte and the striker himself switched with Joshua Zirkzee for the final nine minutes of normal time.

Lammens saved well from Greek youngster Charalampos Kostoulas with two minutes remaining but it looked like United were going to be alright, despite the seven minutes of added time to come.

But wait. Oh deary me, just wait.

An inswinging corner from James Milner was met by the head of Kostoulas, albeit after some pretty shoddy defending from Zirkzee, and Brighton were within a goal.

Fernandes stung Verbruggen’s hands again with a fierce strike as United tried to stay away from their own goal and get to the line.

They got over it with 60 seconds on the clock, Fernandes with a very sneaky dummy to allow Mbeumo into the clear and he smashed home for his second of the night and the points.

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Foreign territory for Red Devils

I reached for the tissues, to stem the nosebleed of the Red Devils in the Champions League slots of course, albeit it before the end of the current round of games.

But what the hell, this is foreign territory.

It also cannot be understated the impact of Mbeumo and Cunha on this side.

Cunha oozes United. He looks made for the place. And while I’m still waiting for the inevitable red card for something stupid, he’s already proving to be a snip.

Mbeumo is likewise fitting straight in, running in behind, popping up in the right spaces and deadly in front of goal.

Sesko seems to be settling in too, good touch and quick feet – the goals will come.

Casemiro was rightly saluted after another fantastic hour, Lammens did nothing wrong, and Bruno looks happier with something to target in front of him.

It’s all a bit unnerving, if I am honest. But I like it. I like it a lot!

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