In the 5th round of the Premier League, Brighton pulled off a remarkable upset against Manchester United at Old Trafford, despite fielding a starting lineup valued at only 18 million euros. Danny Welbeck, Pascal Gross, and Joao Pedro were the standout performers for Brighton, sinking Manchester United at the “Theatre of Dreams.” On the other hand, Manchester United managed only a consolation goal through the young talent Hannibal Mejbri, ultimately succumbing to a well-deserved 1-3 defeat.
Brighton’s Remarkable Triumph
What is particularly noteworthy is that Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton continued to impress in the Premier League without any high-priced stars in their ranks. Their starting lineup, as statistics reveal, had a total value of a mere 18.2 million euros, with their most expensive player, Adingra, priced at 8 million euros. Tariq Lamptey, who provided two assists, was acquired for a mere 1.2 million euros, while players like Mitoma, Veltman, Van Hecke, Gross ranged from 1 to 3 million euros. The likes of Steele, Dunk, Dahoud, Lallana, and Welbeck came either for free or at minimal transfer fees.
Manchester United’s Costly Squad
On the other hand, Manchester United, despite missing 11 players due to various reasons, still boasted a squad valued at a staggering 376 million euros, far surpassing Brighton’s lineup. With players like Onana (52.5 million euros), Dalot (22 million euros), Lindelof (35 million euros), Martinez (57 million euros), Casemiro (70 million euros), Bruno Fernandes (65 million euros), and Hojlund (75 million euros), Manchester United’s squad showcased its financial prowess. Notably, four of Manchester United’s stars were either homegrown, acquired for free, or on loan, including Reguilon, Eriksen, McTominay, and Rashford.
Brighton’s Victory Against the Odds
In total, Manchester United’s starting lineup was worth 20 times more than Brighton’s. However, on the field, the Seagulls convincingly defeated the Red Devils with a scoreline of 3-1.
Eriksen’s Insights and Individual Errors
Midfielder Eriksen, in the aftermath of the game, commented on Manchester United’s disappointing performance, stating, “We need to look at ourselves. We tried to change a few things tactically, but the result is very disappointing.” Despite playing at Old Trafford, the “Red Devils” conceded early in the 20th minute with a goal by Welbeck. Rasmus Hojlund, a 72-million-pound forward, seemed to equalize for Manchester United in the first half, but VAR technology denied the goal due to the ball crossing the touchline before Rashford’s assist.
In the second half, Manchester United struggled as Pascal Gross (53rd minute) and substitute Joao Pedro (71st minute) scored consecutively to give Brighton a 3-0 lead. The “Red Devils” managed only a consolation goal from young midfielder Hannibal Mejbri in the 73rd minute.
Analyzing the Loss
“Those were individual mistakes. We fell into the offside trap in the Arsenal match, and the same happened today. We scored but had it disallowed due to VAR. Some individual errors, combined with a bit of bad luck, led to our defeat,” Eriksen notably attributed Manchester United’s defeat to individual errors rather than systemic failures.
This defeat only adds to Manchester United’s upcoming challenges, with a Champions League opener at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena on September 21 looming large.
