Manchester United could first curse and then thank their academy. Their youth system has supplied at least one player for every first-team squad since 1937 but United’s capacity to also produce footballers for other clubs threatened to harm them when Danny Welbeck put Brighton on course for a maiden win at Old Trafford. Instead, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood, two others who followed Welbeck’s path into the United forward line and then the
England squad, struck in a rescue
Job after a wretched first half.
Comebacks represent another United tradition – “We have done that a few times this season, we are getting used to it,” said Ole Gunnar Solskjær – while Brighton have acquired an unfortunate habit of losing games from winning positions. This was an addition to the litany of fixtures where they got plaudits but not points. Their excellence was not shown in the eventual scoreline.