Cristiano Ronaldo on target as Man United limp past Brighton
Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo (left) scores their side's first goal. Picture: Martin Rickett
Cristiano Ronaldo’s first goal in seven games came to the rescue of Ralf Rangnick just as Manchester United appeared to be limping towards yet another minor crisis.
Bruno Fernandes’s 96th-minute second for United gave the scoreline a flattering look as he raced clear of the Brighton defence and finished impeccably.
But outplayed for large chunks of the first half by Graham Potter’s confident Seagulls, United were looking far beneath a side capable of attaining the top four finish their interim manager claims would represent a successful season, given the chaos that has both preceded and now shrouds him in the United hot seat.
After a lacklustre period, which was greeted by a smattering of boos from home fans, the game shifted dramatically in the space of three minutes early in the second half.
After 51 minutes, Yves Bissouma was caught in possession by Scott McTominay and could only steer the ball in the direction of Ronaldo 25 yards from goal.
The veteran made an incisive move forward, easing past Adam Webster before burying an impressive finish from the edge of the Brighton area.
It was the stroke of good fortune Rangnick had been waiting for and more was to follow moments later when Lewis Dunk was caught in possession by Anthony Elanga.
The Brighton defender responded by hauling down the youngster, earning a yellow card from referee Peter Bankes who was immediately surrounded - arguably too aggressively - by protesting United players.
Duly alerted by VAR, Bankes consulted his pitchside monitor and turned yellow to red - a moment that instantly negated a fine first half from the visitors.
The story could have been very different if Jakub Moder’s spectacular effort from the edge of the area had not struck the United bar on 77 minute but at least a night that started badly for Rangnick ended in a much-needed win.
With eyes on the recent faltering form of United captain Harry Maguire, Rangnick’s concerns were compounded pre-match when he lost his centre-half partner Raphael Varane in warm-up, with the Frenchman reportedly ill.
But the early exchanges of a potentially tricky game were a reminder that United’s current malaise extends well beyond Maguire.
There some promising moments of attacking flair from the Reds, particularly through Cristiano Ronaldo and the in-form Jadon Sancho.
And the evening might have started with a United goal after six minutes following a mistake from Adam Webster that allowed Ronaldo to break clear.
The Portuguese back-heeled for Sancho whose shot was well saved by Robert Sanchez before Dunk cleared well from Sancho’s follow-up cross.
There was also a brilliant covering tackle from Marc Cucurella after the lively Elanga, preferred to Marcus Rashford, raced clear and threatened on the break.
But Brighton generally enjoyed the better of the first half, thanks largely to United’s carelessness with the ball and alarming habit of turning it over in midfield.
After just four minutes, Pascal Gross played in Jakub Moder behind the United defence and, fortunately for United, his shot was directly at a well-positioned David de Gea.
Joel Veltman later freed Gross for a similar opening, with his cross picking out Alexis Mac Allister whose shot was held comfortably by the United keeper.
Gross also wasted a half-chance from the edge of the area, with a poor shot that passed well wide of the goal but at least Graham Potter could draw satisfaction from a sound display of defensive organisation, with holding midfielder Yves Bissouma particularly impressive.
And twice in quick succession late in the first half, Brighton had glorious chances to take the lead as they edged closer to the opening goal.
On 39 minutes, a Veltman cross was met by Moder whose powerful header drew a spectacular diving save from de Gea.
And just seconds later, with the Old Trafford crowd growing increasingly anxious, Moder played in Bissouma, at the end of a nice, flowing move, and his low shot passed just wide of the home goal.
The smattering of boos that greeted the half-time whistle spoke to United’s mounting problems although the mood would have been much brighter had Ronaldo succeeded with a free-kick from the edge of the Brighton area moments before which he struck into the wall.
Ronaldo was far more impressive with his goal to open the second half with the dismissal of Duink soon after leaving Brighton facing an uphill task in their efforts to rescue a point out of the game.
In fact, matters could have worsened soon after when Ronaldo’s powerful header was well saved by Robert Sanchez, leaving the Portuguese booting the ground in frustration.
He would have been in an even worse mood after 71 minutes when a terrible kick from Sanchez fell straight to his feet and Ronaldo selflessly squared for Bruno Fernandes.
His countryman only had Sanchez to beat but allowed the keeper to atone for his error as he denied Fernandes what would have been a killer second goal.
There were good late saves from Sanchez to deny long-range shots from Fernandes and Maguire as Rangnick’s side held on.
De Gea 7; Dalot 7, Lindelof 6, Maguire 7, Shaw 7; Fernandes 6, McTominay 7, Fred 6 (Pogba 73, 5); Sancho 7 (Telles 80), Ronaldo 8, Elanga 7 (Rashford 79, 5).
Sanchez 6; Veltman 7, Dunk 5, Webster 5, Cucurella 7; Bissouma 7; Gross 7 (Alzate 60, 5), Mac Allister 6; Moder 8; Trossard 5 (Lamptey 60, 5), Maupay 6 (Welbeck 70, 6).
P Bankes 6.
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