Manchester United defender Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven were labelled 'inept' after their disastrous performances in the Carabao Cup defeat to Brighton. United surrendered a two-goal advantage in a shambolic 3-2 collapse at Old Trafford, with loud boos ringing around the stadium as pressure on boss Michael Carrick grew.
Shea Lacey scored his first goal for the club after eight minutes, with Mason Mount adding another two minutes later. Charalampos Kostoulas pulled one back just before half-time for the visitors, with Pascal Gross coolly levelling after 65 minutes.
Defensive partnership under scrutiny
Staff at United regard Yoro and Heaven as a partnership for the future, with the duo starting together for the first time this season. But United's defence was in total disarray during their second-half capitulation, with Heaven and Yoro culpable as some calamitous passing out from the back allowed Gross to equalise. The defensive pairing was also all at sea for Brighton's third just four minutes later.
Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire have been Michael Carrick's preferred pairing at the back since he took the reins in January, with Jamie Redknapp convinced that is unlikely to change on Wednesday night's evidence, insisting they treated the game like 'a five-a-side competition.'
Redknapp's verdict on the young duo
'The inexperience of the two young centre-backs showed,' Redknapp told Sky Sports. 'I have no doubt the two of them will be on the phone to their agent (asking) why am I not playing at the moment. That's why. These kind of performances tonight.'
'The pair of them were just inept in everything they did. Compare them to (Brighton defender Luka) Vuskovic and his level of aggression and the two from Man United who were making bad decisions, putting their arm up and complaining when they don't get the ball. Brighton were serious about their business in defending. Those two tonight were just poor and have to do better.'
Analysing United's second goal, Redknapp added: 'Heaven has to get across and sprint 20 yards to the player who is going to score. Instead, he's on his heels and doesn't anticipate the danger. Instead he is jogging.'
'Yoro does really poorly as well. I don't know what he is doing, what kind of effort is this to stop the ball? This isn't a five-a-side competition, this is a big competition. You have to be aggressive and both of them showed their inexperience and if that doesn't change they won't play for Man United regularly, I don't care what the price tag is.'
Asked if Carrick had made a mistake starting Yoro and Heaven, Redknapp added: 'It does look like that. You've got to sprint, Leny. I see this time and time again.'
Debut to forget for Darlow
There was also a debut to forget for Karl Darlow in goal, with former United winger Ashley Young critical of his role in Brighton's first goal. 'People have got their hands in the air, no one is really looking around. It's one long ball. Between Heaven and Darlow, one of them has to sort it out, someone has got to talk. But there was nothing there at all.'
