Manchester United vs. Brighton result, highlights

Manchester United vs. Brighton result, highlights & analysis as Gross double ruins Ten Hag's Old Trafford bow

Pascal Gross netted a first-half brace to inspire Brighton to a deserved 2-1 win over Manchester United and ruin Erik ten Hag's maiden Premier League outing.

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Ten Hag named Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench at Old Trafford and his players were left floundering by Gross' close-range expertise as the German midfielder took his career tally against United to six.

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A scrappy own-goal from Alexis MacAllister reduced the arrears but, even with Ronaldo on the field as a second-half substitute, the sort of late rally often synonymous with United on their home ground never materialised.

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"Let's give Brighton some credit before criticising Manchester United," Roy Keane said on Sky Sports at half-time, before immediately speaking in scathing terms about his old club.

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And that's what probably hurts the most for United today: it's all so familiar. There were shades of Louis van Gaal's debut defeat to Swansea City in 2013

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which followed a preseason of hope, renewal and optimism. At least everyone is a little bit longer in the tooth now.

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Keane's sentiment was correct. On paper, this is the 20-time champions of England losing to a team that has traditionally resided a good distance away from the top division.

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But Brighton are a problem for anyone on their day. When Pep Guardiola refers to them as "A Graham Potter team" it speaks volumes of the esteem in which the Albion boss is held by his most celebrated colleagues.

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