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TUESDAY | JAN 13, 2026

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Brighton’s Danny Welbeck (right) shoots to score their second goal during the English FA Cup third round match against Man United at Old Trafford yesterday. – AFPPIC

Theatre of nightmares

Manchester United’s season reaches new lows with premature but predictable FA Cup exit

Ű BY RICHARD JOLLY

revenge for the 1983 FA Cup final or simply another sign that Brighton are often better than United now. They could overcome them with a weakened team. Hurzeler made six changes, but there was a level of understanding among his team, a cohesion that spoke to his coaching. United, though, were too easy to beat, too simple to cut open. For United, who played 60 games last season, the workload will be reduced by 50% now. For Fletcher, a season could be salvaged or squan dered. It is up to the players. “I think you could see the players are fragile but they’ve got to respond. Confidence is one of the most powerful things in football so when you don’t have it, you have to dig deep and then the confidence comes back. “It’s over to them, they need to make sure that they have got a lot to play for this season. This team is still good enough to achieve success this season but they have to dig deep. “Out of cups, only Premier League games to play for, the fans weren’t happy at the end but they have got every right to air their grievances. It wasn’t toxic but they showed their disappoint ment. “I’m sure if the players show the right reac tion, the fans will get behind them like they always do, because there is still a lot to play for in the Premier League this season.” – The Independent

Fletcher branded the teenage’s sending-off “ridiculous” and attacked “poor refereeing” at Old Trafford. Fletcher told TNT Sports after wards: “Shea Lacey’s yellow card is ridiculous compared to the fouls

the final whistle told a tale. “Bitterly disappointed,” Fletcher added. “It is not a great moment to be out of the cups early. It is not Manchester United level or what is expected.” So only one ex-United player could enjoy the day; it was not the smartly dressed man in the tech nical area. What proved the decisive goal was ham mered in by Danny Welbeck, a for mer team mate of Fletcher’s. For United,

F OR THOSE, certain former managers perhaps included, who think Manchester United occupy too much space in the news, it is more than a century, world wars excepted, since they last took up so little room in the fixture list. For Darren Fletcher, who had spoken of the honour of managing United, it has been accom panied by their latest historic low, another marker of failure. The team with no manager have no cup run and will get no trophy. Because Jan 11 became the earliest point in a season since 1971 to ensure United would end it without silverware. United fell at the first hurdle of the FA Cup, just as they had in the League Cup, an unwanted double they had not mustered since 1982. They guaranteed they will play just 40 games, their fewest in a full campaign since 1914-15. And if more of the blame for that rests with Ruben Amorim, whose League Cup exit to Grimsby was embarrassing, then Fletcher, as United chalked up their annual loss at Old Trafford to Brighton & Hove Albion, it suggested his short-term reign will not be extended. The Scot won the FA Cup as a United mid fielder; he will not as an interim manager. He may head back to the U-18s now. “Someone will come in and lead the team,” he said, an indication it will not be him. The boos at

that we had against us all game, which ultimately then the lad makes a mistake and is sent off. For me it is poor refereeing. “He’s disappointed

because he cares and he understands and he knows he will learn from it. There is no doubt about his tal ent. It was a steep learning curve today but we believe in Shea. “He’s one of our most excit ing young prospects and I’m sure at Old Trafford he will have a chance to make amends for that

trapped in the past, it was a reminder that their alumni can be a bless ing or a curse.

For the latest academy product, a bright cameo was ruined by petu lance, Shea Lacey’s second appearance for United ending with a red card and he departed in tears.

Man United interim head coach Darren Fletcher applauds fans after the loss to Brighton yesterday. – AFPPIC

in the future.” Call

this

belated

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