If there is a blueprint for winning at Old Trafford, it probably doesn’t involve selling your two best players. If the theory was that Brighton will emerge from the summer around £90million richer but poorer on the pitch without Yves Bissouma and Marc Cucurella, they conjured what – on paper, anyway – ranks as one of the best results in their history.
Although, perhaps, not even their finest against Manchester United since the start of May. A maiden win against Old Trafford was a second against United in swift succession; for 7 May, read 7 August. After a 4-0 victory at home, with the soon-to-be £90million pair, came a 2-1 victory away. United’s decline has to be factored into any evaluation but even February’s 2-0 defeat, when Brighton were the superior side for an hour, offered evidence that now they are a better team than United: not necessarily individually but definitely collectively.
“It was a big difference with their routines,” noted the beaten Erik ten Hag. “They are a long time together with a certain philosophy and plan, cooperation between coach and team.” It was a triumph of cohesion, coaching and continuity. Graham Potter supplied the context: taking over a team fourth from bottom, requiring results to persuade the doubters. “The way you convince people in football is to win and when you are Brighton and Hove Albion it can take you time to win,” he said.
