Man Utd: Cristiano Ronaldo could only laugh in 4-0 Brighton humiliation

Man Utd's Ronaldo vs Brighton.

Manchester United were utterly humiliated in their Premier League clash with Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday evening.

In what has arguably been the club’s worst ever season in England’s top-flight since the 1992 rebranding, the Red Devils sank to a crushing nadir as they were pasted 4-0 by the Seagulls.

Yes, Brighton have been superb this season and yes, they’ve secured some big results over the ‘big six’, but nobody could have seen the way in which they embarrassed United coming.

Brighton take an early lead

And they really did set the tone early, lighting up the Amex Stadium by taking the lead just 15 minutes into the game courtesy of a player who once dreamed of playing for United.

Moisés Caicedo got the party started with a fine finish from outside the penalty area that fizzed through the legs of Victor Lindelof, past the hand of David de Gea and into the bottom corner.

Cucurella shines with a goal

From that point onwards, there was at least some reprieve for the Old Trafford club as it wasn’t until after the break that Graham Potter’s men really turned the screw.

And their second strike came courtesy of the magnificent Marc Cucurella, who crowned what was already panning out to be a stellar performance on the south coast by firing into the roof of the net.

Brighton go 3-0 and 4-0 up

Then, the floodgates really opened with Brighton scoring in the 57th and 60th minutes to extend their lead into the sort of territory that ensures United will be teased about it for years to come.

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Pascal Gross showed great composure in the penalty area to bag the first goal of Brighton’s double knockout blow, breezing past Raphael Varane before slipping the ball beyond De Gea.

And Leandro Trossard made it four when he arrived on the scene to bundle the ball into the net when Diogo Dalot cleared Danny Welbeck’s initial chipped effort off the line. Embarrassing scenes.

Ronaldo could only laugh

In fact, the scenes were so embarrassing for the Old Trafford club that Cristiano Ronaldo could be seen laughing and smiling in complete disbelief at the situation after one of Brighton’s goals.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner clearly couldn’t get his head around what has proven to be a truly unique season for him where the team he’s playing for simply hasn’t completed at the top level.

And frankly, it’s hard to blame him for laughing because things really have gotten so bad at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ that having a chuckle is probably the only thing that you can do.

No matter where United go from here and into the Erik ten Hag era, there can be no denying that the 2021/22 season will be one to forget – and it truly hit rock bottom with the trip to Brighton.

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