Man Utd continue good form with frantic Brighton win

0:06Thanks for joining us on the Sky Sports Premier League podcast. We were at Old Trafford for Saturday Night Football, where Manchester United were up against Brighton. Here's how we saw things when the final whistle blew.

0:25It's three wins on the trot for Manchester United. Ruben Amarim a relieved man because they certainly did not do it the easy way. at one stage the outcome wasn't in doubt when they were 3-0 up in this game Mateus Cunha having scored his first goal for the club and Brian Umbermo striking twice after Casemiro had hit a deflected second for Manchester United but that second goal for Umbermo finally put the issue beyond doubt after Brighton had given United a real scare It was the former United player Danny Welbeck who started it off with a wonderfully placed free kick and then a substitute Costoulas who in the second minute of injury time scored with a header from the corner and it looked as though Fabian Herzl as Brighton might get something out of this game after all but in the end Gary, Umbermo has the final say.

1:24Yeah, Umbermo and Cunha a really good day for them. I mean the narrative going into this game was that Manchester United couldn't take a step back after what happened at Anfield last week and the win today was absolutely crucial. I think maybe it's at Ruben Amrim's best and most important week in the job. I think it gives him a bit of time. I'm not saying he's off the hook but Manchester United up there towards the top of the league and it certainly takes a lot of pressure off him and you can see the relief amongst the players. Well it's a win that continues the recent momentum. Manchester United 4 Brighton 2 Rob, Gary, thank you very much Jamie Redknapp, it is indeed 3 steps forward Absolutely, what a result It would have been a travesty if they had won that game They made it difficult for themselves at the end and then Brian and Gorma just calmed everything down Huge win for the club 3 brilliant wins Obviously last week was a really pivotal moment for the manager and again today I thought they were calm they were controlled up until that last little bit of the game but they've had a lot of stick they could for their recruitment in the past but right now they're getting it spot on they really are this guy's a sensation Gary Neville knows better than anybody takes the play from a night and the pressure that that can sometimes give you but these two Brian and Burmo and Cunha so calm and loving it you can see them embracing it they're enjoying it and they look like real magic in my place what a difference that goal makes to the move because it was really tense is he at that moment?

2:52Yeah, there'll be a massive sigh of relief, breath and breath by Amram. And the players, of course, I think there's definitely lessons in that second half that, you know, in terms of game management, the substitutions, the disruption to the rhythm of the game, when it really, at 2-0 up, you should really be seeing the game out, 3-0 up, give Brighton a sniff back into the game. But they did the business, and like Jamie said, the quality is starting to really come through for those new boys at United. And with every goal from Cunha, with every goal from Burnham, They just feel more like Manchester United players.

3:24Yeah, they look like it as well. That's the thing. And one thing, and we'll talk more about it later on, is their hard work. They show great desire. They want to win. You can see how much, when they haven't got the ball, they go and chase it. They chase lost causes. And that was one of the big things that stood out for me. I want to give him a special mention. Because I've been critical in the past. And a lot of people have, and they've probably looked at it and thought, is he still ready? Can he still handle the Premier League? I think today he got a stand ovation from his fans after 60 minutes.

3:53I thought he was excellent. I know he got a little bit of luck with the goal, but he showed what a good type he is, and the manager kicks him every single week, and he knows better than we do because he sees what he's like in training. Do you know something? This doesn't happen very often. This hasn't happened very often with Ruben Amram in charge, where they've been able to enjoy this moment and take the applause of a full-on traffic. I think it's so important for the club, The atmosphere inside that stadium is electric when Manchester United are winning and equally when they haven't been winning of late.

4:24The fans have always been there still and I think that these moments are so precious because you go to Anfield, you win. Gary said it in commentary, can you back it up? They left it a little bit late to go and get that cushion but I think the way that they've performed, seen out the game, the personality and the performance was exceptional and these guys, the new boys, are really showing the fans and the club that they've made the right decision in bringing them to the club. and they're performing to a really high level at the moment.

4:54Ruben almost affording himself a smile there. Well, maybe he feels after all this pressure, the tide is starting to turn. The team is backing up performances with results. That's three wins on the bounce, the first time in his tenure. 4-2 victory over Brighton, thanks to two goals from Brian Mbumo, who I'm very pleased to say is waiting to talk to us right now. Brian, congratulations. Yep, talking to the mic, look straight ahead and we're all good to go. Just how important was that result for you? Yeah, I think it was very important. Obviously, three wins in a row now. I think it's great for the confidence of the team and for everyone.

5:37I think we've been waiting for this for a long time. And yeah, it's only good. How good was this Manchester United performance, would you say, Brian? Yeah, I think we played a great game. Obviously, we are a bit disappointed to concede two goals, but the most important is the win and at the end we did it. I wanted to ask you as well, that feeling of scoring two goals at Old Trafford, your first double at home. How does that feel? Yeah, honestly, so good. The atmosphere is crazy here. Yeah, the fans are unbelievable and it's always good to score goals, but especially here. Brian, Jamie, Redknapp, congratulations.

6:23Two beautiful goals. Hopefully you've got a screen there. Talk us through the first goal because it's a really good bit of link-up between you and Cesco.

6:36Can you see it Brian? Yeah yeah. He's enjoying it. Talk us through it. You good movement here. Yeah I see Sejko can always turn around and deliver good balls and I didn't ask myself a lot of questions. I just went and yeah I tried to be the defender and the keeper. I love that smile. And then obviously the second goal. Great understanding with Bruno Fernandes this time. There's a lovely little, he leaves it for you. You take a really good touch and then smash it into the top corner. This was almost telepathic between the two of you.

7:17Yeah, I've seen a big gap. Obviously, I didn't know that Aidan was going to put it through. And yeah, luckily it happened. And yeah, happy to score. Ryan, you obviously did fantastically well at Brentford and then you got to move to Manchester United. Just talk to us about the difference and the expectation and what it's been like to go to Manchester United. It looks like things are starting to turn for the better right now. How enjoyable has it been for you? Obviously, I enjoy a lot here. It hasn't been easier at the start, obviously. It's a new environment, a new expectation, but I think with the automatism, with the link up with the team, I think everything is going the right way.

8:07Brian, does it feel like you are developing good connections with your teammates, the likes of Matthias Cunha, Bruno Fernandes in particular, Sesco, of course, Mason Mount? It looks like you're developing a good feeling between the players. Yeah, I think we all put a lot of work at training. I think it's the most important because what we do there, we try to replicate it on the pitch. And yeah, with the time the Link-Up are growing up, we're going to try to understand each other even better. But it's three wins out of three, Brian. What for you is the big difference that we are seeing from Manchester United in this period?

8:48Yeah, I think, as I said, the work we put in, the effort, the governance we give on the pitch is the key. And yeah, after we try to stick at the plan and we just try to play as best as possible. But presumably, I mean, you're in the top four now, I don't know if you're aware of that, but presumably this is why you actually came to Manchester United, because that's where you wanted to be challenging? Yeah, obviously I like the challenges. I came here to a big club and we want to fight for the best places. Brian, we wish you well. Congratulations on a very successful night for you and the team. Well done.

9:33Thank you very much. Well done, Brian. Brian and Burma with two goals for Manchester United and here's Gary Neville waiting to speak to us. Did you score two goals in a game, Gary, for Manchester United? No, I scored two goals in consecutive weeks, or one and one. Does that count? I'll give you that. From right back, you'll take that, Gary. Especially on the day you've been inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame as well. Does he look like a Manchester United player already, Umbermo? Yeah, I think Umbermo and Cunha, I think the risk was removed from those signings in the sense that they've been in the Premier League before and they've got that hunger to deliver at a different level.

10:11There was a lot of things about those signings that you felt more comfortable with. And I think that when I look at United now with Mbormo, I think Mbormo looks like he belongs, he looks hungry, he looks like he wants to score goals. It wasn't quite happening for him and Cunha in the first maybe four or five matches when they were getting into the positions, they always wanted the ball, but they weren't maybe taking their chances. But I think Manchester United have got something to build. If those two can stay up front and live up front in those spaces and the other eight or nine players in the team can just be the foundation for them and sort of keep more clean sheets and defend well, Those two will win a lot of football matches for this club.

10:47Of course, the new ground that we're treading here under Ruben Arum. Does this feel particularly significant, Gary, three on the bounce? I think it does. I think that it feels like his best week in the job. The week where I think that where he's been and I think where we've all been with it, I wouldn't have been surprised. We were talking about him losing his job and I was thinking he was under massive pressure after going into the international break in October. I felt as though that change could be imminent. but the victory at Anfield and it shows you how things can turn around and then obviously this was so important today.

11:19Look, he's not out of the woods yet and it's certainly not a time to get carried away but I think Manchester United are now where they thought they probably would be. They'll slip down a couple of places after the rest of the team's playing and they'll end up in sixth or seventh but that's where I think everyone thought they would be so look, this has been a very important week for the manager and for the club and you could see the celebration at the end there was more than just a little bit, I think, of relief that, yeah, we needed this badly. Gary, Jamie, one of the big things that struck me in these performances, these last three games certainly, has been almost how much heart, desire that they've shown.

11:54And it looks like a team that the fans can now almost get behind as well. Yeah, one thing, Jamie, is I think that a few weeks ago, I was a little bit worried that the players didn't believe in Ruben Amirim's system, that maybe there was an element of them not winning matches and starting to question it and listen to the noise that all of us, including myself, had added to that. However, one thing that's been absolutely not in doubt when you speak to people in and around the club is that the players really like him as a person. And that does count for a lot because I think there's no doubt he's not lost the dressing room in terms of spirit and energy and how they feel towards him.

12:26So I think they want to play for him. They're desperate to win. And I think you've seen that coming together a little bit in the last week. I mean, winning at Anfield in any season is special. But for Ruben Amirim to win at Anfield when it was so unexpected, I think just has given them such a big lift. But look, we'll look forward to the game next week in Nottingham Forest, Tottenham away the week after. There's still a big job to do in this month, but I felt as though it was a month of reckoning. And if it had started badly last week at Liverpool, it could have gone a different way, but it feels very different.

12:54It feels like the momentum's with them a little bit and the spirit's good. So what questions do you still have, Gary? I suppose consistency. You know, it's been a team and a club that you can't really rely on for so long. So the idea of winning two or three matches doesn't take that away. You can't sort of build that trust back in an instant. So that's still not there. But I think that there's something happening there. I think the front two, I've just mentioned them. You've got something to, if you can keep that back five compact and amongst them, there's some decent defenders, half decent defenders.

13:26That back five can just stay solid and the midfield in front, let them two up front go and do what they do. I think it can be sort of a recipe for Manchester United to have a decent season and to get into the top six. There's question marks in Cesco. I think that he obviously was a bigger risk of a signing and a lot more of an unknown. He doesn't quite look like he's settled in yet. So it'd be nice, I think, if he can start to look, he starts to look like a front three. It does feel still like a front two with him stood up there. I think that's the big job over the next couple of weeks. Is that just a question of goals with him, with Cesco, Gary, do you think?

14:00Is that all he needs or is it more the build-up play, the way he plays with those other two? No, it's more than the goals. It's the inclusion within the actual combinations that you see from the others. I mean, you see Bruno Fernandes and Mount, who wasn't playing today, but you see those two linking very successfully with Embermo and Cunha. You don't quite see Sesko being part of that mix yet. He's not sort of got up to speed and the pace of it, of how quickly they're playing with each other. So he needs to get his game up to speed. That'll only come through time and obviously he's still quite young.

14:32But he just does need to get there because, you know, it's a big signing still. It's£80 million. And if they can become a front three, then obviously that will be a huge step. At the moment, it feels to me like a two with another guy stood up there occupying space. All right, Gary, we'll let you go. Thank you very much for your efforts this evening. It is something for Manchester United to build on, that is for sure. Three wins on the bounce, not to be sniffed at for Ruben Amarim's side with Casemiro putting the strings in midfield and Bermot at the double. and they managed to hold off the Brighton fight back.

15:04Analysis and more reaction in a moment.

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16:07Welcome back to the Sky Sports Premier League podcast. Let's get back to the studio for more reaction to today's game. We can bring you some reaction now. Fabian Herzler is with Pien Mullenstein. Fabian, there was lots going on in that game, but what are your overall feelings after that performance and result today?

16:39Why did Manchester United make it difficult to play against them today? I would say that it was difficult. We had a good plan, just the technical execution, The spaces were there. The idea, I think, was the right one. But it's about having the right individual positioning. It's about playing the ball on the right foot, having the right positioning towards the opponent, finding the free teammate with the right man. And that's something we lack today. So we are responsible for that defeat and we have to be honest to ourselves and have to make it better. 3-0 down but then it got to 3-2. So what was going on for you at that moment?

17:22I think it's always important to show personality, to show character, to never give up and that's what we have in our team and that's a very positive thing. So I think my team, they always had the belief that there was something possible and I also have the belief on the sideline because like I said, we were in the game, we were there, you created the chances, it It was just about the detaining execution. There was a couple of moments in that game. There was one of them where perhaps, I don't know what you thought about the Patrick Dorgue foul who got the yellow card for it. Did you feel that he should have got a red card?

17:56No, they explained me the rule, so we have to accept the rule. And I think that was not the reason why we lost. When you look back as well, of course you came into this game four games unbeaten, now the defeat. In terms of getting that consistency, staying up in the top ten of the Premier League, is that still something that you're sort of looking to keep continuing on? No, I focus on performance and I think that's the main thing. We have to bring like consistency in our performance and then the results will come. We always talk about like results, expectations, that's not the way from our side, it's not the way from this club.

18:32For us it's really about like focusing on performance and then long-term the results will come and then we just have to get better. Fabian, thank you very much for your time.

18:44It's been a very good night for Manchester United. In fact, it's been a very good few weeks for the United boss. Three wins on the bounce for the first time and here he is with Pien Mullenstein. Ruben, four Manchester United goals, three points into the top four. How do you feel about that? I feel good. Three points at home. I think we play well. We suffered in the end, a little bit our fault in the way we suffered the first goal. You can sense that in that time of the game we are near the fourth goal not to suffer one. But they did everything. They run, they play with the ball, they kick the ball when it was needed.

19:25So it was a good game. When you were 3-0 up, Brighton got it back to 3-2. What was going on in your mind at that point? It's something that happened in football. The game is under control and then you suffer a goal. And then we suffer a little bit. They have a lot of talent. They have a lot of quality with the ball. And they use that momentum to control the game. But we are improving in the way we respond to bad moments. And today we did it again. Was there a moment in particular during that game that you really enjoyed? I think after the third goal, the noise of the stadium was not normal. It was like a different moment.

20:07It was the first time that I felt that sound, that environment. So it was a very good moment for me. Of course, we are focused in the game, but there are some things in this club, in this stadium that you feel, and that was really strange. I know that you were looking for more consistency in terms of results as well, which Manchester United haven't had recently. Does it feel like you're kind of breaking that mould now? You feel better. even when we arrived to play this game I felt that the environment without with everything everybody here, the players, was different was not like overwhelmed, was excitement to come here to play in front of our fans and that was a different feeling but again, now is to enjoy today but tomorrow we need to prepare the other one because if you look at the table, two weeks can change everything, one week can change everything and it's so hard to get good feelings in this moment in our club so we need to have that fear of returning.

21:13So for that we just need to enjoy the week but work really hard to prepare the next one. Just on that then, do you feel like there's a new confidence in this Manchester United team after those last three performances that you've had? If you ask any manager, if you feel any stadium when you are winning games, you feel more confident and then when you feel more confident some things are going in your way you have a little bit luck like we had last week today we finished the game with a goal that gave us a different feeling so when you have the right spirit everything is going in your favor we need to hold that to work really hard and to take that to the next game.

21:53Just on the goal scorers as well four goals today how pleased were you that you were able to get you know such good attacking threat today? They have a lot of talent, but I really like the way they defend, especially the three in front. I think Cunha did a great job defending and was completely different from the first games. Brian is a working machine. Ben, every time we kicked the ball, Ben was there. And that is the details. We can have all the talent in the world, but if we don't fight in this league you have no chance so if we fight our players they have the talent to decide the games thank you very much for your time well done today thank you and all of a sudden it looks a lot rosier for manchester united as it stands uh they are fourth in the league as i say i say as it stands because liverpool action right now against brentford and they are losing to an early atara goal which has come from a long throw that would see brentford into the top half and liverpool slip to sixth.

22:53A lot can change in that game. But you're starting to see this picture change for Manchester United. Are we starting to see a buy-in from his players? He talks about work rate. He talks about a new feeling, a new sound at Old Trafford. Yeah, and that goes two ways. It's twofold to a certain extent because it comes from the players that you bring in. It comes by recruitment and bringing people that aren't going to fight. He mentioned it himself. You have to want to fight. I've just highlighted Brian Umbermo here, number 19th, right at the bottom of the screen, that's just one of your star players.

23:23Look at him getting back in to show some desire to try and stop a goal. He gets the wrong side of it, but I wouldn't have seen that last year with some of the players that were at the club playing in wide areas. Again, this time I've highlighted Kunja, number 10. Look at him get back. He tries to win that first one, doesn't. And he sees his teammates are in a bit of trouble. Right, I'm going to go and help him out. He slides in, obviously there's a corner, but that's what you want to see. That's desire, that's work ethic. Again, Cunha in this defensive position here. He sees his left back's in a bit of trouble, wins the ball back for his team.

23:54That's exactly what you want. And Brian and Bermont and Cunha did that all game. Here he is again, number 19. Keep your eye on him. He goes to press the ball, he wins it back. That comes from his Brentford days where that was put into him non-stop, probably every day in training, and they epitomised, I think, everything that was really good about that Manchester United performance today. And that's what you need. If you've got that buy-in, if you've got players working hard about the ball, and I mentioned before, Data cannot equate for heart, desire and fight. And Manchester United have not had that for many years.