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LONDON. — Jose Mourinho’s downbeat post-match comments were almost as incoherent as his woeful team as they were deservedly beaten 2-3 by a rampant Brighton who simply, damningly and emphatically, out-played and out-fought them.The score-line flattered Manchester United as this raucous encounter on the south-coast was summed up with Glenn Murray, Brighton’s 34-year-old striker, simply bullying the central defenders that Mourinho clearly has so little faith in.

United were, in fact, outclassed and alarmingly Mourinho, tense and angry on the touchline, did not seem to have an answer before pinning it on “incredible mistakes” and, another, veiled suggestion that he had not been backed in the transfer market. Even if he added that he did not want to talk about it.The United manager had already declared money does not buy class after he was mocked in the Amazon Prime “All or Nothing” documentary series about the champions but it is his team that is lacking – and not just because they did not acquire the centre-half Mourinho believes they need.

On this evidence they are not only joyless and listless but will struggle to finish in the top four, never mind try and wrestle the Premier League title away from City who put six past Huddersfield Town before this match kicked off. Two games into the season and it has come to this already. There was no fizz, no spark, no inspiration, no fight – From him or them.

There is time, of course, there is plenty of time and Mourinho suggested that they cannot be judged until December but, by then, City, Liverpool and a few others may be too far ahead if this performance is repeated too often. The central defender argument is a red herring for the Red Devils. Mourinho may want more but the two men in that position he has brought in – Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof, at a combined cost of £61million – played and were shocking.

Where to start?

Alexis Sanchez did not travel because of a “little (injury) problem” but there were big problems: from David De Gea in goal, a curiously nervous shadow of his former self, to fullbacks in Luke Shaw and Ashley Young who were dominated through to a lack of creativity and control in midfield and a leaden forward line.

Anthony Martial, who wants to leave, replaced Sanchez but did not impress and was taken off in the second-half. — Telegraph