Brighton transfer news: Aston Villa eye ‘£50m’ alternative to Brighton star, Everton have ‘no plans’ to block big name exit

Cristiano Ronaldo ended his six-game scoreless streak to help Manchester United on their way to a much-needed 2-0 win against 10-man Brighton.

Having blown half-time leads to draw 1-1 in their last three matches, interim boss Ralf Rangnick called for his Jekyll and Hyde side to show their better side in Tuesday evening’s rearranged Premier League encounter.

Those calls fell on deaf ears in the first half as incoherent United were dominated by Brighton, only for a Ronaldo strike and Lewis Dunk red card early in the second half to change the course of the evening.

Bruno Fernandes’ stoppage-time strike wrapped up a 2-0 win that sees them move up to fourth, but Rangnick will know their Champions League rivals have games in hand on a side that remain incapable of impressing over 90 minutes.

Potter’s Seagulls impressed for large periods of a first half in which David De Gea superbly denied Jakub Moder, with boos greeting the hosts’ display at the half-time whistle.

Potter said: “We are frustrated, we had large periods of the game but we did not start the second half well, gave the ball away and they punished us. The sending off changes the dynamic of the game, frustrated with that. We had to survive with 10 men at Old Trafford. We hit the bar, Danny Welbeck had a chance but proud of the players.

“In football if you don’t score and they do, you don’t deserve anything. Our first half was good, if it was 11 v 11 it would have been a more interesting second half and we were always in the game. David de Gea pulled off a good save off Jakub Moder in the first half so we had our moments. The performance was good but we did not score and they did, with 10 men for 40 minutes.”

On Dunk’s red card, he added: “It was a yellow card to start with, when I looked at it back it does not look a clear and obvious error. That is my feeling. Adam Webster is on the cover and the referee gave a yellow card live. I could have taken it if it was a red card, I don’t understand why the VAR is getting involved.

“We are disappointed because we lost the game but overall there was enough for us to be encouraged. The players never give up, they keep going until the end and for 2-0 we were pushing.”