Manchester United were knocked out of the Carabao Cup at the first time of asking, losing 3-2 to Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday.
It was the Red Devils who started strong, racing into a two-goal lead within the opening 10 minutes at Old Trafford.
But since then, the hosts kept sitting back and eventually, they let the Seagulls in before half-time.
Having seen the mentality of the team in recent weeks, it was not a surprise to see them capitulate in the second half.
Weak mentality on display yet again
Michael Carrick will point to the lack of quality reinforcements in the summer, but his coaching has left a lot to be desired.
While the visitors made countless tactical tweaks since going behind, the United head coach could hardly muster a response from his team.
His substitutions did not work, and he is yet to fix the team’s tendency to sit back and invite pressure every time they take the lead.
Brighton were quick and zippy with their passing, while the 20-time English league champions looked slow and ponderous with the ball.
Carrick struggled tactically and with his team selection
It almost seemed like they did not know what to do next at times. The ease with which Brighton played out from the back was a joy to watch at times.
As for United, the fans had their hearts in their mouths each time the players tried to pass the ball between themselves in their own half. The gap in coaching quality was obvious for all to see.
As for players who had a glorious chance to stake a claim for a place in the Premier League, hardly anyone managed to impress.
