Brighton 0-2 Manchester United: De Zerbi era ends in defeat
Brighton 0-2 Manchester United rather summed up the final few months of the Roberto De Zerbi Era. The Albion had plenty of the ball but failed to score in losing to opponents that 12 months ago you could reasonably expect DeZerbiBall to sweep aside.
It meant Brighton were unable to become the first team since Sky Sports invented football in 1992 to win five consecutive Premier League games against Manchester United.
Worse was the fact Crystal Palace ended the campaign above the Albion in the table. You would have got very long odds on that being the case when Brighton hammered Palace 4-1 at the Amex back in February. Alexa, how do you mass delete tweets about teachers, apprentices and minding the gap?
There are obviously extenuating circumstances for this turn in events. De Zerbi has had to cope with a crippling injury list and European football took its toll on the Albion.
Which is why 2023-24 should be considered a success even though Brighton have dropped five places in the standings from last season. A mid table finish seems like a good trade off for those trips to Marseille, Amsterdam and Athens, right?
De Zerbi has done well and that is why Brighton 0-2 Manchester United being his final game hurts the most. A clash of headstrong personalities who do not take well to the idea of changing their approach has seen arguably the best head coach the Albion have ever had leave.
No surprise there. De Zerbi against Tony Bloom and Paul Barber was only ever going to result in one winner. We now await next season to see whether Bloom and Barber have taken the correct course of action.
For arguably the first time in his 15 year reign as chairman, some Brighton fans are beginning to question the previously untouchable judgement of the owner.
Bloom may have pumped in the best part of half a billion pounds into turning the Albion from League One strugglers to an established Premier League side. But that seemingly does not make him above reproach.
With the news that De Zerbi was leaving announced 24 hours before Brighton 0-2 Manchester United, the football almost felt like a sideshow to the goodbye for De Zerbi and Adam Lallana.
Lallana wore the captain’s armband and was given a standing ovation by the Amex upon his withdrawal after 55 minutes.
He played like a man who can still do a job in the Premier League. Good news for Southampton, Plucky Little Bournemouth or whichever other team closer to home he signs for next season.
Brighton had enough chances to win the game in the first half alone. Adam Webster went close on three occasions with headers, the last of which was cleared off the line in stunning fashion by Lisandro Martinez.
The lively Valentin Barco had arguably the best opportunity of the half when played in by a fantastic pass from Carlos Baleba, only to shoot straight at the legs of Andre Onana.
Joao Pedro was also denied by the United goalkeeper, as well as dragging a good chance wide. Had Brighton been with the cutting edge of Kaoru Mitoma or Solly March, you suspect they would have gone into half time ahead. Again, that is the story of the second half of the season.
At the other end. Jason Steele saved well from Alejandro Garnacho. Jakub Moder meanwhile made an unreal last man tackle as Garnacho bore down one-on-one with Steele.
Moder had an impressive game at right back. The redeployment of the magic man from Poland might be De Zerbi’s final gift to the Albion.
Casemiro produced an outrageous clearance off the line from a Pedro effort early in the second half. Lallana was then withdrawn, after which the Albion struggled to match the intensity with which they had played through the opening hour.
It was still, however, against the run of play when United opened the scoring via a clinical Diogo Dalot finish on 74 minutes.
Rasmus Hojlund went onto wrap up victory two minutes from time after easily running around several challenges before beating Steele with an effort which the Albion goalkeeper probably should have kept out.
And that was that. The 2023-24 season had been petering out into nothingness from the moment the Albion were hammered 4-0 away against Roma. Brighton 0-2 Manchester United was the culmination.
Yet this has still been a campaign nobody will ever forget thanks to those Europa League adventures delivered by one man – Mister De Zerbi.
Most Albion supporters stayed after the final whistle to acclaim the departing head coach. “Roberto De Zerbi, we want you to stay” was sung.
Oh for the cameras to have zoomed in on the faces of Bloom and Barber watching from the director’s box at that moment.
Bloom will of course already know who he wants to replace De Zerbi. They face one hell of a job, given the way in which De Zerbi has raised expectations and the mentality of the Albion.
Nobody can try and give Brighton supporters a history lesson after a 0-0 draw with The Leeds United anymore. Christ, just writing that makes me terrified at the prospect of Glow Up Graham Potter returning.
We will probably know the identity of the Albion’s next head coach within the next two weeks. Brighton 0-2 Manchester United was undoubtedly the end of an era. Who knows what comes next?
