Summary

  1. get involved

    'Don't think Amorim will change his system'published at 11:24 Greenwich Mean Time

    Phil McNulty Q&A

    Phil McNulty
    BBC Sport chief football writer

    Anon: Morning Phil. What do you make of Ruben Amorim's repeated comments that he's not going to change his system at all? Do you think it's time to change something? I don't think he should get the sack but surely he has to adapt something to get something from this season?

    Morning. I think Ruben Amorim has his system and he will not be changing it. I suspect he would regard it as an admission of defeat anyway, but he also genuinely believes it will be best for the long-term even though there is short-term pain.

    The frustration will be that the home defeat against Brighton, as well as an average display in beating Southampton with three late goals, came after excellent performances at Liverpool and Arsenal.

    It’s the sort of thing that has managers tearing their hair out.

    I wouldn’t hold your breath waiting for a change in his strategy, though.

  2. get involved

    Get Involved - Is side worst in Man Utd history?published at 11:19 Greenwich Mean Time

    #bbcfootball, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

    They aren't the worst Man U team in history based on performances and results. However, if you factor in how much they have spent putting this squad together, the results and performances have been nothing less than a disgrace!

    Anon

    Manchester United may need to completely flush out 90% of players, like Chelsea did, and start afresh. There is simply no other way. Too many over-priced, mediocre players in that squad.

    DW

    Throwing the entire team under the bus is not good management from Amorim. Yes, deeper problems exist, but he does field the team. Encouragement goes a long way with players, and they are only human. The focus should be on the higher-ups. There is a long road ahead for United - got to feel sorry for the fans.

    Darren, Arsenal fan

  3. Opta Supercomputer: Where will Man Utd finish?published at 11:15 Greenwich Mean Time

    Following Manchester United's 3-1 defeat by Brighton, Opta's Supercomputer predicts their most likely finish to be 14th (18%).

    At present United are ten points clear of the drop zone. The Supercomputer gives them a 0.1% chance of going down.

  4. 'That's laughable!'published at 11:11 Greenwich Mean Time

    Man Utd 1-3 Brighton

    Glenn Murray
    Former Brighton striker on the Football Daily podcast

    Ruben Amorim has got 15-20 international players at Manchester United who should be able to play in any system you want them to.

    They are elite footballers and they understand the game.

    You can't hide behind the fact that they can't play in a 3-4-3 because that's laughable!

  5. Phil McNulty Q&Apublished at 11:09 Greenwich Mean Time

    BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty is with us this morning. Have you got a question for him?

    Get in touch via:

    • X using #bbcfootball
    • WhatsApp on 03301231826
    • Or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)
  6. 'It's Amorim's job to get these players to compete'published at 11:01 Greenwich Mean Time

    Man Utd 1-3 Brighton

    Nigel Reo-Coker
    Former West Ham midfielder on the Football Daily podcast

    Ruben Amorim's job as a manager is to get results. It's a results business.

    But he is telling us he is not going to change and he is going to believe in his style and principles. We can clearly see he does not have the players to carry that out.

    If you go to Manchester United, a club that is historically about winning, you have to win. They need to compete. That's his responsibility. He is the manager. It's his job to get these players to compete and to get them to do the basics.

    If he can't, should we start questioning him as a manager then?

  7. 'Players and fans are going to suffer'published at 10:56 Greenwich Mean Time

    Man Utd 1-3 Brighton

    Ruben AmorimImage source, Getty Images

    Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said that the players and fans are "going to suffer" as he looks to turn the club's form around.

    He told Sky Sports: "Another loss at home and it's not acceptable. We can play some football but in small spaces of time, it's not consistent. We get nervous and suffer a goal and then it's hard to turn things around.

    "We get really anxious and really nervous. You could feel it in the stadium but we can't end games like that. No matter the result we have to be a different team in all aspects.

    "Brighton were comfortable, we tried with not very good football. We lost again at home and that's not acceptable. We need to change that fast.

    "I'm not going to change how I see the game, I'm clear on that.

    "The players are going to suffer, the fans are going to suffer, I'm sorry. I have one way of doing things but we need to survive this moment. It's very clear for everybody what we are going to do."

  8. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 10:52 Greenwich Mean Time

    #bbcfootball, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

    I've supported Man Utd my whole life but it grieves me to say that the stadium is now more like a museum of glorious faded memories.

    Kevin

  9. 'I have to question the character of this group'published at 10:48 Greenwich Mean Time

    Man Utd 1-3 Brighton

    Glenn Murray
    Former Brighton striker on the Football Daily podcast

    Looking at Manchester United's last six games, they get beaten by Bournemouth, Wolves and Newcastle.

    Then all of a sudden it's a big game away at Liverpool and they turn up. They get a point.

    They beat Southampton 3-1 but their opponents were the better team for 80 minutes and then they get beaten 3-1 by Brighton again.

    I have to question the character of this group. They turn up for games against Manchester City and Liverpool, but what about the other games?

  10. Is this Man Utd's worst team in history?published at 10:45 Greenwich Mean Time

    Ruben AmorimImage source, Getty Images

    When you look at the stats, Ruben Amorim was slightly exaggerating when he called his team "maybe the worst" in the club's history. But not by a lot.

    At this stage of the season, only 13 Manchester United teams have had a lower points tally in the history of the club - the last time being in 1986-87. Here are some other stats that show how badly they are performing:

    • This was United's sixth home Premier League defeat of the season, their most from their opening 12 home matches of a league season since 1893-94.
    • They have conceded the first goal in each of their past five Premier League games at Old Trafford - their joint-longest such run in the competition, also doing so five times in a row from August to October 2023.
    • United have lost 10 of their 22 Premier League games this season - the earliest into a league campaign that they have hit double figures for defeats since 1989-90 under Alex Ferguson.

    United have been relegated five times - most recently in 1974. It still seems unlikely that will happen this term, though Amorim did say last month it was a "possibility".

  11. 'I couldn't believe what I heard from Amorim'published at 10:40 Greenwich Mean Time

    Man Utd 1-3 Brighton

    Nigel Reo-Coker
    Former West Ham midfielder on the Football Daily podcast

    I couldn't believe what I heard. I thought my ears were deceiving me.

    I feel Ruben Amorim is too honest. He needs to be a bit more of a politician. Him doing that and putting it in the public domain now puts more pressure on the players.

    Saying that he was starving for leaders and the players are not performing, you are criticising the players so much now that you think how they are going to perform for him. I just hope he has given them a different message in the dressing room compared to that.

  12. 11 points from 11 gamespublished at 10:35 Greenwich Mean Time

    Manchester United have collected 11 points from 11 league games since Ruben Amorim replaced Erik ten Hag in November - three wins and two draws.

    Sunday's 3-1 defeat by Brighton was the fourth loss in their past five home games in the Premier League. Bruno Fernandes' penalty was United's only shot on target.

    United are 13th in the table - 10 points clear of the relegation zone but seven behind 10th-placed Fulham.

  13. 'We are the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United'published at 10:31 Greenwich Mean Time

    Man Utd 1-3 Brighton

    Ruben AmorimImage source, Getty Images

    From that cheeky Brighton post to Ruben Amorim, who, in case you missed it, said that his side could be "the worst team in the history of Manchester United".

    Is he exaggerating or could he be spot on?

    Vote thumbs up for yes, down for no.

    You can have a listen to what Amorim said in the video pinned to the top of this page.

  14. Man Utd on toast?published at 10:29 Greenwich Mean Time

    Man Utd 1-3 Brighton

    That stat about six wins out of seven for Brighton against Manchester United was something that found its way on to the Seagulls' official X feed, external, complete with 'on fire' and hand clap emojis.

  15. Brighton 'completely got what they deserved'published at 10:26 Greenwich Mean Time

    Man Utd 1-3 Brighton

    Media caption,

    Manchester United 1-3 Brighton & Hove Albion: 'They got what they deserved' - Hürzeler

    Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler on his side doing the double over Manchester United, winning 3-1 at Old Trafford on Sunday to extend their recent record to six wins in seven Premier League games against them:

    "I am very happy and proud for the team because they showed commitment this week - they had a tough period where they showed great performances but didn't get the results they deserved, but today they completely got what they deserved.

    "They worked hard, they did the details right, they did the small margins needed to win a game here and I am really proud and happy for them."

  16. Seagulls flying highpublished at 10:17 Greenwich Mean Time

    Man Utd 1-3 Brighton

    And so that leads us back to Old Trafford, and Manchester United's 3-1 defeat to Brighton.

    Let's hear from Seagulls boss Fabian Hurzeler first before getting into those Ruben Amorim quotes.

    Brighton's win - a third in a row in all competitions and eighth of the season in the Premier League - saw them move up to ninth in the table, just four points off the top four.

    Brighton celebrate at Old TraffordImage source, Getty Images
  17. 'I certainly haven't lost belief or determination'published at 10:11 Greenwich Mean Time

    Everton 3-2 Tottenham

    Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou told Sky Sports he hasn't lost faith in turning around the club's form.

    "If you look at the situation we're in, it will eventually dissipate. I certainly hope and believe it will," he said.

    "We'll give ourselves the opportunity to get consistency in performance and results.

    "I certainly haven't lost belief or determination to turn it around and the players showed in the second half that they haven't either."

    However he told BBC's Match of the Day that changes he made to the team put Spurs on the back foot and ultimately saw them fall short: "First half we gave Everton plenty of opportunities to hurt us, which they did, and second half was much better...but unfortunately it was not enough.

    " There is always encouragement for the players but ultimately we have fallen short again and that is the main thing, we have to find a way out of the situation we are in."

    Media caption,

    Spurs 'fallen short again' after Everton loss - Postecoglou

  18. Spurs boss remains defiantpublished at 10:02 Greenwich Mean Time

    Everton 3-2 Tottenham

    Back to that yinyang of football, Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou did not leave Goodison Park with the same "fantastic feeling" as Everton counterpart David Moyes.

    But the Spurs boss remains defiant...

    Ange PostecoglouImage source, Getty Images
  19. get involved

    Get Involved - Happiest football feelingpublished at 10:00 Greenwich Mean Time

    #bbcfootball, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

    The smile on Kenny Dalglish's face when he scored a goal. Priceless!

    Steve in Aberystwyth

    Has to be Jarrod Bowen’s late winner for WHUFC to win the Europa Conference League after so many years without. Watching with my sons. Ever seen a grown man cry? Magical.

    Rich from Beckenham

    Beating your local rivals for the first time in 17 years on Thursday night. Had a great weekend. Some things even two Hollywood stars can't buy your club.

    Damo, a very happy Shrewsbury fan

  20. 'It feels fantastic'published at 09:58 Greenwich Mean Time

    Everton 3-2 Tottenham

    Media caption,

    Everton's win over Spurs 'feels fantastic' - Moyes

    Another Premier League manager with every reason to be cheerful this morning is new Everton boss David Moyes.

    He saw his side score their first goals and claim a first win of his second spell in charge at Goodison Park, seeing off Tottenham's second-half fightback to move four points clear of the relegation zone:

    "It feels fantastic [to win] because it has felt relatively difficult in the week coming in. the past two games - Aston Villa and Tottenham - were difficult opponents.

    "We didn't do too bad in midweek but we just couldn't get there but today we have done a really good job, first half particularly. We have scored three and could have scored more.

    "When they got the goal back it was a little bit scary, especially the last five or six minutes."