Manchester United’s turbulent week took another sharp turn on Sunday as Brighton knocked them out of the FA Cup for the first time in the club’s history, leaving the Old Trafford side clinging to Champions League qualification as their only remaining objective this season.
Goals from Brajan Gruda and former United forward Danny Welbeck had Brighton 2-0 up before Benjamin Šeško gave the home crowd late hope, but that rally was extinguished when academy winger Shea Lacey was sent off just as the game entered stoppage time.
The 18-year-old, who came on as a substitute, picked up two yellow cards in quick succession and was dismissed as United’s evening unravelled further under caretaker boss Darren Fletcher, who is now winless after his first two games following a midweek draw with Burnley.
‘Ridiculous’: Darren Fletcher Defends Irish-Eligible Teen After Old Trafford Red Card
With United now out of both domestic cup competitions and Ruben Amorim dismissed on Monday after just 14 months in charge, the spotlight quickly shifted to Lacey’s red card during the post-match TV analysis.
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In his post-match interview Darren Fletcher was very critical of the officiating.
The first Shea Lacey foul is not a yellow card, I've no idea how the Brighton players didn't get cards in the first half we end up with more yellow cards. Shea Lacey's yellow card is ridiculous compared to the fouls which we had on us all game which ultimately, the lad makes a mistake and gets sent off.
Fletcher said Lacey was "disappointed" and that it was a "steep learning curve for him".
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Speaking on punditry duty, OwenHargreaves offered a sympathetic assessment of the teenager’s night, suggesting frustration rather than recklessness was at the heart of the incident.
I feel for him because he’s probably a little bit embarrassed there. The first yellow card is fine because he’s trying to make something happen and it’s a tackle.
The second one, he’s only a young lad, he’s only 18. You see the frustration. That dissent you just have to learn, you can’t do that when you’re on a yellow card.
Hargreaves was keen to stress that the sending off should not define Lacey, who impressed after coming on and caught the eye in an otherwise flat United display.
No pressure on him, he’s a young lad and he was probably their best player when he came on. He’s a talent. You just want to see him go play and enjoy it because he’s one of them, he’ll get people off their seats.
The moment was a cruel one for a player who remains eligible to represent Ireland at senior level despite featuring for England underage, and whose introduction briefly injected urgency into a side struggling for confidence.
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For United, the defeat underlined the scale of the rebuild ahead. Rumours continue to swirl around the possible appointment of Ole Gunnar Solskjær or Michael Carrick as interim boss until the end of the campaign, but for now, the focus remains firmly on salvaging a top-four finish from a season that continues to drift.
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