Michael Carrick celebrated his new deal with another three points, as Manchester United saw off Brighton by three goals to nil at the Amex.
Goals from Patrick Dorgu and Bryan Mbeumo handed the Reds a dominant position heading into the break, capping a fine display against a side chasing European football.
But the story of the half was Bruno Fernandes adding another notch to his impressive belt with his 21st assist of a phenomenal Premier League season.
Still, there’s more to his game than distribution, and the Portuguese star scored United’s third at the beginning of the second half with a typically classy finish inside the area.
The Reds were comfortable and confident throughout, as the travelling contingent were treated to a memorable outing at a venue that has proved rather troublesome in recent years.
Manchester United impress on the road with season-ending Brighton win
Carrick opted for three changes to the starting XI that saw off Nottingham Forest last weekend, reinstalling Noussair Mazraoui, Mason Mount and Dorgu from the opening whistle.
Both Tyler Fletcher and Shea Lacey earned their places on the bench after impressing in recent months. Our sources advise that there is an expectation they will play advanced first-team roles next season.
Recent visits to the Amex have proven troublesome for travelling Reds, with a variety of setups losing three of the previous four league trips to the southern ground.
Given that the Seagulls held aspirations of solidifying a place in any of the three European competitions, Fabian Hurzeler was determined to finish another fine campaign with a stellar showing.
Still, on what was Carrick’s first fixture since confirmation of his permanent stay at Old Trafford, the 44-year-old was eager to set out as he meant to go on.
With temperatures threatening to reach 30 degrees, both sides had to contend with searing heat and reduced visibility from the opening whistle.
Unsurprisingly, Hurzeler’s men began faster and enjoyed the better of proceedings throughout the opening quarter. Nonetheless, Senne Lammens remained untested during a period of defensive assurance.
United did find their way back into the fixture thereafter. But it was a tepid back-and-forth affair, with the players feeling the effects of the weather.
So much so that play was broken after 25 minutes for a rare water break.
Although Brighton had Europe on their mind, the travelling contingent had Bruno on theirs, with aspirations of witnessing his record-breaking assist.
Inevitably, the division’s outstanding player delivered after 33 minutes from United’s first corner kick, sending a pinpoint cross into the area, with Dorgu smashing his header past Bart Verbruggen.
The byproduct of this jubilant moment spurred Carrick’s men forward, and the Reds began to control the contest and increase their possession in the final third.
Mbeumo doubled the lead minutes before the break following an exquisite passage of interplay between Amad and Mount, notching his 11th goal of an impressive debut season with a simple tap-in.
| First half overview via SofaScore | Brighton | Manchester United |
| Possession | 53% | 47% |
| Total shots | 4 | 3 |
| Big chances | 0 | 2 |
| Goalkeeper saves | 1 | 0 |
| Passes | 265 | 237 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 0.21 | 1.20 |
Boos rang around the ground within five minutes of the restart as Dorgu repaid the assist for Fernandes to get his name on the scoresheet, adding further misery to a shellshocked Brighton.
The Portuguese star finished expertly on the angle, reminding his naysayers of his many qualities with a 30th goal contribution of the campaign (9 goals, 21 assists).
From there, it was a continuous assault on the home goal, as wave after wave of attack was unleashed on Verbruggen.
Carrick’s side was nothing short of scintillating and very good value for their lead.
Lacey replaced Dorgu for the final half an hour to make his third appearance in the Premier League calendar, further emphasising how highly he is thought of at Carrington.
As is Fletcher, who followed his academy teammate shortly afterwards, joining Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro in freshening a visibly tired side for the final 20 minutes of play.
Both looked at home and were anything but overwhelmed in difficult surroundings.
The home side upped their tempo for the final quarter, with those in attendance nervously checking the scorelines elsewhere for news of their European standing.
Despite Brighton’s efforts, it was their guests who came closest to another goal when Yoro’s header struck the woodwork following another Fernandes corner in the final minutes.
For those continuing to underplay Carrick’s credentials in the managerial hotseat, today’s result confirmed a 12th win from 17 outings since January, solidifying a 71% win ratio en route to 71 points.
He has achieved this while adhering to the club’s proud traditions from day one, and there is every reason to be optimistic ahead of a crucial summer.
Let us know your thoughts about an impressive showing down south in the comments or across our social channels.
Photo by operations@newsimages.co.uk via depositphotos.com.
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