Man Utd 2-0 Brighton: Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes score as Ralf Rangnick's side move up to fourth

Report and free match highlights as Manchester United edged out Brighton on a nervy night at Old Trafford thanks to goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes; Brighton had chances to get something from the game

Adam Bate

Comment and Analysis @ghostgoal

Wednesday 16 February 2022 11:32, UK

Cristiano Ronaldo ended his goal drought in emphatic style as Manchester United moved up to fourth in the Premier League table with a 2-0 win over Brighton at Old Trafford.

Ronaldo had gone six games without scoring but blasted home before Lewis Dunk's red card dented Brighton's hopes and Bruno Fernandes' strike added late gloss to the score.

"It was an amazing goal," said Man Utd interim manager Ralf Rangnick. "Not only an important one but an amazing one. Overall it was also a good performance from Cristiano. Energetically he was always trying to help his team-mates.

"I think in the last weeks, definitely it was the best performance by him, and a very, very important goal for us."

It was anything but a convincing performance from United overall, Jakub Moder hitting the crossbar and Danny Welbeck somehow heading over after Brighton were down to 10 men.

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Indeed, it had required a spectacular save from David de Gea just to keep his side on level terms at the break, clawing away a Moder header with his outstretched right hand.

Brighton produced the more enterprising football in that first half with United reliant on counter-attacks, the best chance coming the way of Jadon Sancho early on.

But the game turned on two losses of possession in their own half, Ronaldo punishing Yves Bissouma's mistake and Dunk fouling Anthony Elanga after his own poor touch.

The win - only United's third in seven games - lifts Ralf Rangnick's side two points above West Ham and into the Champions League qualification places. Brighton remain ninth.

Team news

Ralf Rangnick made two initial changes to the team that drew at home to Southampton. Anthony Elanga came in for Marcus Rashford, while Fred replaced Paul Pogba in midfield. A third was forced on him minutes before kick-off with Victor Lindelof stepping up for the ill Raphael Varane.

Graham Potter made three changes to the Brighton team that beat Watford. Yves Bissouma, Alex Mac Allister and Leandro Trossard came in for Tariq Lamptey, Adam Lallana and Danny Welbeck.

Good pressing but possession play is poor

Ronaldo could have added to his tally in the second half. Twice he failed to punish Brighton with his head - once thanks to a fine save by Robert Sanchez and then when he sent his attempt wide. He was unselfish when setting up Fernandes in the second half too.

The bigger concern for Rangnick will be that his team were outplayed before the red card. In terms of coherent possession play, there was little sign of the revolution taking shape. Fred endured a miserable night in midfield and Brighton's passing game looked superior.

What Manchester United possess are those decisive players and Rangnick will at least be buoyed that the pressing game was on point - both goals and the Dunk red card all coming after winning the ball back from the opposition. That will be the encouraging aspect of this. But there is much work to do to claim that fourth spot in May.

Man of the match - Cristiano Ronaldo

Under the spotlight after a dip in form, Ronaldo made the difference. It was an error that presented him the ball with space to run into but there are few players who would have been so ruthless with that chance. It was the moment that changed the night.

"We get punished from a world-class finish by a world-class player," said Potter afterwards. "That is what we are facing."

Ronaldo tends to play in moments now but he had a few here. He could easily have had assists after setting up clear-cut chances for both Sancho and Fernandes.

Rangnick's second-half change worked

After a run of games in which Manchester United have led at half-time and then failed to win, this was a very different match. This time, the game turned in United's favour in the second half - and that was a result of a tactical change by Rangnick at the interval.

"Everyone could see after the first half, it was not an easy game," he explained. "They are very possession-based. It was difficult for us to get hold of the ball. We made a change and it paid off. In the second half, we were more aggressive and tried to intercept the ball.

"The question at half-time was do we change formation or how we attack. We decided to stick to 4-2-3-1 and told our wingers to attack their centre-backs. That meant our full-backs had to jump to their full-backs and that paid off. From then on, it was a different game."

Potter unimpressed by VAR intervention in Dunk dismissal

Potter said VAR was wrong to get involved and upgrade the yellow card initially awarded to Dunk to a red card, and also suggested the atmosphere at Old Trafford played a part in allowing Manchester United's second goal to stand.

On-field referee Peter Bankes initially showed a caution to the Brighton defender whose heavy touch saw him catch Elanga on the edge of his own box, with Adam Webster's proximity seemingly saving him from having denied a clear goalscoring opportunity.

However, after consultation with VAR official Jarred Gillett, Bankes was sent to the pitchside review monitor at which point he upgraded Dunk's punishment to a red card.

Later on, with Brighton pushing for an equaliser in injury time, United added a second thanks in part to a quick free-kick on the break as Alexis Mac Allister was penalised for a foul on Bruno Fernandes, a decision which Potter felt would've only been given to the home side.

He said: "The red card was a yellow card live, Adam Webster was round on the cover, it was not clear and obvious that he could not get there. If the referee gave a red card live, I could've accepted it more, but I don't understand why the VAR's getting involved in a clear and obvious error when it doesn't look clear and obvious.

"I thought we were the better team in the first half. It is disappointing how the second half turned out. There is lots to be positive about and I am proud of the players. There is just a little bit of frustration there because it feels like a missed opportunity.

"The second goal is a foul on Alexis but it is what it is, you don't get those here. It looked like a push but we have to accept it."

Opta stats - Man Utd into fourth

Manchester United have kept two clean sheets in their last three Premier League home games, as many as they had in their previous 18 at Old Trafford.
Brighton suffered their first defeat in eight Premier League games (W3 D4), while this was just their second away loss of the season, also going down 2-0 at Aston Villa in November.
After having eight shots in the first half (to Man Utd's three), Brighton managed just two further attempts after half-time.
Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo has now scored against 168 different opponents in his career for club and country, while he's also scored at least once in each of the last 21 calendar years stretching back to 2002.
Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes has created more chances than any other player in the Premier League this season (71), with the Portuguese creating a further five against Brighton tonight.