‘A real mess and an air of resignation’ – but Manchester United’s humbling FA Cup exit to Brighton may have silver lining

With speculation swirling about the direction the Old Trafford hierarchy might take in their hunt for a new manager, the TNT Sports team were struck by the atmosphere inside the stadium ahead of the latest in a long line of rebuilds.

Commentator Darren Fletcher noted “you could hear a pin drop” at full-time and that “the air has gone out of the balloon,” while alongside him Ally McCoist identified “a kind of acceptance” and “no real belief within the stadium.”

Former United midfielder Hargreaves expanded on that point at full-time, while fellow pundit Steve Sidwell pointed to the problems posed by continuously harking back to a glorious past.

“It’s another blow, but let’s be honest, there have been a lot in the past 10 or 12 years,” Hargreaves said.

Highlights: Welbeck stars as Brighton dump out Man Utd

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“I think everybody felt with Darren taking over there might be a bit of positivity, but they just didn’t have the firepower at the top of the pitch. They had lots of possession and shots, but there is still frustration.

“You could feel the air of resignation in everybody. They were hoping with Fletch you could maybe fix that in the short term but let’s be honest, you’re just hoping. Their body of work over the past 10 years and this season suggests this is just where they are at.”

Sidwell added: “People keep talking about their DNA and the Manchester United of old, the way they played. I haven’t seen that for 10, 12 years. I don’t see that happening in the next two months, six months, next season.

“There are real big issues that need to be addressed on and off the pitch. There needs to be a connection with the fans because they are always with them. I just felt today before the game they had that chance from Burnley, where the performance was great, to go out and be on the front foot and really attack Brighton.

“But it felt so subdued and again there are so many people in charge, you don’t know who is making what decision, and it’s a real mess that needs to be sorted out.”

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Why United ‘should get UCL football’

Despite the despondent mood in Manchester, Hargreaves believes there is a silver lining to be found for the Red Devils.

Last season’s 15th-place finish in the Premier League left United without European football this season and their FA Cup exit ensures that their incoming boss will be able to focus solely on league football until the end of the campaign.

With that supposed advantage over their domestic rivals, Hargreaves is backing United to qualify for the UEFA Champions League this season.

“They are only three points off fourth, they should get Champions League football,” said Hargreaves.

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“They are the only team in there that doesn’t have any European competition. They’ve got one game a week, they can be well rested, they can work on things on the training pitch. I genuinely believe they should.

“They have enough firepower; they are the third-highest scorers. They concede too many goals. That is the biggest issue they have. So going to a back four might help. But I do think they have the personnel to finish in the top five, and I think they should with the personnel they have.”

‘Air has gone out of balloon’

Not everyone was able to find immediate positives, however, as United suffered their latest disappointment with a fourth defeat in their last five home games against Brighton.

TNT Sports commentator Fletcher and co-commentator McCoist described muted scenes at full-time after another day to forget for the Old Trafford faithful.

“Manchester United are out. The competition they’ve won 13 times can’t save them this season,” said Fletcher.

“It’s Brighton’s day, it’s the first time they’ve ever beaten Manchester United in an FA Cup match. It’s seven wins in nine games against United, and their fourth in five visits to Old Trafford, and they were fantastic today.

“The full-time whistle greeted with silence in this stadium, you can hear a pin drop. I’m looking at the Manchester United players, and some of them seem in disbelief. Bruno Fernandes in particular, look at Diogo Dalot’s face.

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“They know now that they’re out of both cup competitions, there’s no Europe this season, and all they can do now is play out the Premier League season. It feels like the air has gone out of whatever balloon was in here today.”

McCoist added: “They (Brighton) were the better players on the pitch. We mentioned (Danny) Welbeck coming back here to a place he knows very well, making the opening goal and scoring a wonderful winner.

“They had a lot of possession United, but they just didn’t do enough with it and threaten the goal enough. Clearly the second goal knocked the stuffing out of the crowd as much as anything.

“Then to pull a goal back with (Benjamin) Sesko you think the place gets going again, and it does to a certain degree. But it’s as if there’s a kind of acceptance, there’s no real belief within the stadium.

“It’s as if there’s a kind of acceptance now of where United are and what’s happening.”