The Premier League season is just four days' old, yet Manchester United already appear to be in a familiar state of turmoil. The Erik ten Hag era got off to the worst start possible as the Red Devils were beaten on home turf by Brighton.
Pascal Gross netted twice as the Seagulls claimed a historic victory at Old Trafford, and in the process proved the four-goal thrashing at the Amex in May was no fluke. Even a clumsy Alexis Mac Allister own-goal failed to put Brighton's victory in doubt, as the visitors comfortably repelled a limp late rally led by Cristiano Ronaldo.
Much of the attention in the aftermath has inevitably focused upon another dismal Red Devils display, yet little has been spoken about the performance from Graham Potter's side. After all, this was a mid-table side winning for their first time ever at the Theatre of Dreams having arguably lost two of their best players this summer.
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Yves Bissouma left for Tottenham on an initial £25 million deal in June, while Marc Cucuerella eventually departed on the eve of the season opener in a blockbuster £63m deal. In contrast, Potter has so far only made moves for the future with the arrivals of Simon Adingra and Julio Enciso, with Levi Colwill also joining on loan.
However, the absences of Bissouma and Cucurella were not felt at Old Trafford. Moises Caicedo bossed the midfield and was described by Micah Richards as the 'best player on the pitch', while a backline of Lewis Dunk, Joel Veltman and Adam Webster rarely looked troubled.
Speaking on his self-named podcast following the match, Gary Neville claimed Brighton's positive performance came as no surprise to him. The Sky Sports pundit admitted the Seagulls are a 'better-functioning team' than Manchester United, with the 'only question' ahead of kick-off being whether Potter's side would take their chances.
Brighton's ability to shrug off the loss of two key players and remain committed to their philosophy should encourage Newcastle fans. It took several months longer than the Magpies would have liked, but they ultimately proved successful in prising Dan Ashworth away from the south coast.
While Potter led on the day-to-day running of the first-team operation, Ashworth was tasked with managing the club with an eye on the medium to long term. The technical director had to ensure the academy and loans setup would deliver on the philosophy set by the club - not the head coach.
Ashworth previously provided an illuminating insight into his role at the Amex to BT Sport, describing the collective effort to 'open up pathways' into the first-team squad. Evidence of this approach was on show at Old Trafford, where Caicedo provided a standout display having previously been eased into the Seagulls' starting eleven.
The Financial Fair Play limitations which Newcastle fans have already grown bored of brings Ashworth's role into St James' Park into sharper focus. Free from the immediate firefight to secure survival, the signs of a long-term plan are clear to see with news of Eddie Howe's new contract being released ahead of the opening fixture.
The headline recruits at St James' Park so far are Sven Botman, Nick Pope and Matt Targett, with the head coach keen to reinforce his frontline. Yet moves have also been made at academy level, with the Magpies swooping for rising talents such as Charlie McArthur and Alex Murphy.
The active steps taken to strengthen the youth setup rather than simply picking up free agents is an unfamiliar concept on Tyneside. Howe's recent decision to blood several youngsters in pre-season friendlies is a sign of this commitment to a pathway Elliot Anderson appears to have already taken.
It is rare that the influence of a role behind the scenes can be so visible on the pitch. Yet in Brighton's impressive Old Trafford success, Newcastle fans have been given a taste of the dividends they will hope to see themselves after several seasons with Ashworth at the helm.
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