Man Utd sub ‘couldn’t pass the ball’ as Red Devils ‘worse’ with Mainoo and Bruno | OneFootball

Jamie Redknapp was surprised to see Manchester United get somehow “worse” when Michael Carrick turned to his regular starters in a bid to rescue their game against Brighton on Wednesday.

United stormed into a two-goal lead at Old Trafford, with Shea Lacey’s stunning goal on his full debut followed by Mason Mount’s rebound less than a minute later.

But from that moment on, visitors Brighton took the game by the scruff of the neck and Carrick’s side were made to pay in embarrassing fashion.

Charalampos Kostoulas got a goal back just before half-time before Pascal Groß and Maxim De Cuyper completed the turnaround in the second half, as Brighton became the first team in 50 years to win at Old Trafford having been two goals down.

Carrick had made sweeping changes to the side that lost the Manchester Derby 1-0 on Sunday, but was forced to turn to his star-studded bench in the second half.

Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha were all brought on, along with Joshua Zirkzee.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp was full of praise for Brighton’s display after the game but also took aim at United’s substitutes who “made them worse”.

“They [Brighton] looked better coached, they had patterns of play even though they made changes today they looked like a thoroughly good side,” Redknapp told Sky Sports.

“United threw on their insurance policy in Bruno and Mainoo. Everyone thought they might be able to make an impact and in fact it made them worse.

“Zirkzee came on and couldn’t pass the ball to his own teammate. Incredible for Brighton, they deserved it.”

Carrick on the edge?

Carrick admitted after the game that defeat was a “big disappointment”.

He said: “It seems a long time ago now but the start of the game was fantastic. It was everything we hoped for, even more really, in some ways in Shea [Lacey] getting his goal. The night’s gone in a different direction but I think for Shea for the moment in the academy and everyone who’s been connected with his journey, to have a moment like which he should be celebrating and enjoying a little bit more really to have that start of the game.

“Then we let the game get away from us with the longer the game went. We ended up with a pretty disappointing night. It’s obvious for me to say that. We accept that. We can’t be in a position like that and lose the game in that manner. I’ll understand the disappointments and frustrations. I accept that. That’s on me. It’ll need to be better than that.”

“We can’t change that. It’s done. We’ve got to keep evolving as a group. We have to keep learning and dealing with situations. Sometimes they come a bit easier than others. Tonight was a tough one. We didn’t find a way out of it. That’s up to me and the staff to help the players and guide them through it. I think we all know that in the end tonight feels like a big disappointment.

“We’ve had small, little things that have gone against us in the last week or two and then it accumulates to feel that it’s a lot bigger. I think we have to be honest and say that. The late goal against Everton from outside the box. The Manchester City goal the other day. It can all of a sudden roll into something a bit greater but I understand the disappointment because we shouldn’t finish the game in that manner with the position we were in and we have to be humble and take that.

“We have to find the answers for Sunday.”