AFP, LONDON
Manchester United on Sunday slumped to a 3-1 defeat at home to Brighton & Hove Albion as Old Trafford remembered the legendary Denis Law, while Tottenham Hotspur’s troubles also persisted as they lost 3-2 at Everton.
Manchester City roared back into form with a 6-0 thrashing of Ipswich Town, while Nottingham Forest’s unlikely title challenge goes on after a 3-2 victory over Southampton took Nuno Espirito Santo’s men level with second-placed Arsenal.
On an emotional day as United paid tribute to one of the club’s greatest ever players in Law, Ruben Amorim conceded this version of the Red Devils is the “worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United.”
Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin celebrates scoring against Tottenham Hotspur in their Premier League match at Goodison Park in Liverpool, England, on Sunday.
Photo: Reuters
A thrilling 2-2 draw at Liverpool and FA Cup victory over Arsenal earlier this month look like another false dawn for United fans.
After Amad Diallo’s late hat-trick papered over the cracks in a 3-1 win over bottom-of-the-table Southampton last week, Brighton exposed the glaring holes in the foundations of Amorim’s United project.
Yankuba Minteh, Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter struck for the Seagulls, who won for the third consecutive season at Old Trafford.
Brighton & Hove Albion’s Georginio Rutter, second left, scores against Manchester United in their Premier League match at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, on Sunday.
Photo: Reuters
United remain 13th, but enjoy a 10-point cushion over the bottom three.
“We can’t be comfortable in thinking that this is OK, because it is not,” United captain Bruno Fernandes said. “I’m not here to lose games and be in the position we are in at the moment.”
Before kickoff, tributes were paid to Law, who is the third-top scorer in United’s history, with 237 goals in 404 appearances.
A piper played Scottish anthem Flower of Scotland as the teams walked out, with United legends Alex Ferguson, Brian Kidd, Paddy Crerand and Alex Stepney on the pitch as a eulogy was read out over the tannoy.
Spurs are now winless in six league games after Everton boosted their survival chances with the first victory of David Moyes’ second spell in charge.
The goal-shy Toffees had failed to score in nine of their previous 11 league games, but struck three times before halftime.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s first goal since September last year opened the scoring, before a brilliant individual run and finish from Iliman Ndiaye.
Archie Gray’s own-goal compounded Tottenham’s misery.
Late goals from Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison reduced the deficit, but could not prevent a 12th defeat in 22 games.
“It is a challenging situation for sure, when you are losing players the amount we are at the moment,” said under-fire Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou, who was without 10 first-team regulars. “It’s up to me to get us out of it and I’ve got to be good enough to do that.”
Everton pulled four points clear of the bottom three and within four points of 15th-placed Spurs.
Manchester City began the day in eighth, but looked much more like their old selves in smashing Ipswich to climb back into the top four.
Phil Foden continued his fine form with two first-half goals, either side of Mateo Kovacic’s strike.
Erling Haaland celebrated his nine-year contract extension by scoring in the second half, while Jeremy Doku and James McAtee were also on target for the defending champions.
Forest were equally rampant in the first 45 minutes to cut the gap on leaders Liverpool to six points and consolidate their lead in the race for a place in the UEFA Champions League next season.
Elliot Anderson, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Chris Wood scored for Forest before halftime.
Southampton salvaged some pride in the second half through Jan Bednarek and Paul Onuachu, but they remain on course for an immediate return to the Championship, 10 points adrift of safety.
