Manchester United lost to Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday afternoon as a clutch of players prepare to leave the club

Manchester United lost their 10th Premier League game of the season as they were beaten 3-1 by an impressive Brighton and Hove Albion outfit at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.

After ending 2024 on a low note with a 2-0 home loss against Newcastle United, The Red Devils had started 2025 in much more positive fashion. They produced two improved performances to draw with Liverpool and Arsenal, knocking the latter out on penalties to advance in the FA Cup. A late flurry of goals saw them beat Southampton 3-1 in midweek although that performance left much to be desired.

The Seagulls punished Ruben Amorim’s side for another poor performance. As the United boss reflected: "In 10 games in the Premier League, we won two. Imagine what this is for a fan of Manchester United. Imagine what this is for me. So we are getting a new coach that is losing more than the last coach. I have full knowledge of that. Like I said, I'm not going to change, no matter what. I know we can succeed, but we need to survive this moment. Because I'm not naive and I know that we need to survive now.

"We are being the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United. I know that you want headlines, but I'm saying that because we have to acknowledge that and to change that. Here you go, your headlines."

Update on Rashford exit

Marcus Rashford was again missing from the United squad over the weekend and Amorim revealed it was because the player has opted against playing for the club. The forward has only been named in one of the last nine matchday squads but that was down to Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte not being available due to suspension.

When asked if he was let down by the absence of Rashford, Amorim told reporters: "No. It is his choice. I don’t want to focus this bad moment because in this games we lost, Rashford is not here. I don't want to put this moment on Rashford. Rashford is out of this moment because he is not playing. No matter what, I am not going to put a player I don’t believe is the best for the team."

After the forward was not in the squad to face Brighton, Fabrizio Romano reported that more talks were set to be held this week over his future with Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona “ready for more contacts”.

Rashford exit could hinge on Adeyemi future

Reports emerged last week suggesting that Chelsea are in talks to sign Borussia Dortmund winger Karim Adeyemi, who has also attracted interest from Liverpool this season. Adeyemi, 22, has made 12 appearances for the Bundesliga side this season, scoring five goals both in the league and in the Champions League. The winger has also recorded three assists for the German giants and is valued at £24m.

According to the Sun, despite the fact that Adeyemi reportedly snubbed Chelsea in the summer, they are back in the market to sign him, although Dortmund are expected to be reluctant to let him go. The report suggests that they would want a sizable fee for Adeyemi, who is under contract with the German side until June 2027. One of the stumbling blocks to Dortmund’s move for Rashford is the cost of the player’s wages. However, a potential permanent exit for Adeyemi could help fund a move while also giving Dortmund a replacement for the player.

Liverpool are also said to be interested in signing the 22-year-old as they identify a list of potential replacements for Mohamed Salah, whose contract expires at Anfield in June. Adeyemi has been on the Reds’ radar for a number of years with Sky Germany reporting earlier this season that the interest was still there from the Merseyside club.