Man United's flaws laid bare as Seagulls ensure safety

Brighton 1 Manchester United 0: If ever there was ever any confusion as to why Manchester United have not been able to challenge their noisy neighbours for the title this season it was cleared up and summed up in a tepid defeat against Chris Hughton’s excellent Brighton & Hove Albion.

The result, a 1-0 reverse, will make little difference to United’s season because they are still five points clear of third-place Liverpool in the race for runners-up spot – and their north-west rivals have other fish to fry having reached the Champions League final.

But a half-hearted display on the south coast, which saw Pascal Gross clinch only Brighton’s second ever victory over United in their history and their first since 1982, amplified complaints that Jose Mourinho’s side have underperformed and failed to entertain in equal measure – leaving them suffering by juxtaposition with Pep Guardiola’s champions.