For Manchester United, a disturbing trend seems to be emerging. They score, then stop playing balls out, and settle for a draw. They aren’t clinical, and can’t close, lately.
“We are conceding fewer goals than before but it doesn’t help when you don’t score more than one,” interim manager Ralf Rangnick said after yet another draw yesterday (this time to Southampton FC). “We should have been two or three goals up after 20 minutes again. Then after two minutes [of the second half] exactly what happened at Burnley happened again, we conceded early in second half after being in possession. It is very frustrating for me and the players. It is a major problem, along with our goals.”
Manchester United vs Brighton & Hove Albion FYIs
Kickoff: Tuesday Feb. 15, Old Trafford, 8:15 local
United team news: go here
Google Result Probability: United Win 55% Draw 25% Brighton Win 20%
PL Form Guide: United DDWWD Brighton WDDDW
PL Position: United 5th, 40 pts Brighton 9th, 33 pts
Premier League Podcast: Spotify Apple Podcasts
Well, should have, but didn’t have, and here we are. Looking ahead to Tuesday night, when United host Brighton & Hove Albion, expect Jadon Sancho to be undroppable from the starting lineup. While he got off to a very slow start at Old Trafford, and his productive output was delayed, he’s on a tear now.
Do not blame the former Borussia Dortmund winger for United’s major issues with scoring. In terms of filling out the rest of the team sheet, we’re gonna be bold and drop Harry Maguire; Luke Shaw too. United fans have been so loud, online on social media, in ripping their form lately. They’re not really wrong either, so they can take a seat here.
Manchester United Starting XI Prediction vs Brighton & Hove Albion
De Gea; Dalot, Varane, Lindelof, Telles; McTominay, Pogba; Fernandes, Rashford, Sancho; Ronaldo
Prediction: United 2, Brighton 1
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.