IT IS NOT QUITE a crisis yet.

Let’s just call this a major problem.

Danny Welbeck and Pascal Gross were both on the scoresheet at Old Trafford

It was a miserable afternoon for the Red Devils

The boos that rang around the ground when manager Erik ten Hag brought on Anthony Martial as a sub in the second half was the first sign of dissent against the boss.

Well, from the fans anyway.

Things can only get worse when they travel to Munich next week to face Bayern and in-form Harry Kane in the Champions League.

The fact this result was not a surprise tells you exactly where United are and how far Brighton have come under Robert De Zebri.

They were the last team to inflict a league defeat on the Red Devils here in Ten Hag’s first game in charge last season.

Now they have done it again, and in even more emphatic style.

They have now beaten them four times on the bounce in the league.

.

Goals from ex-United forward Danny Welbeck on 20 minutes, Pascal Gross after 53 and Joao Pedro on 71 did the damage.

Hannibal Mejbri’s 25-yarder on 73 proved scant consolation.

With Manchester United short of widemen due to the situations with Jadon Sancho and Antony, the manager had a problem.

So he simply decided not to play with one on the right, while Marcus Rashford was switching between pulling wide left and acting in a two-man front line with Rasmus Hojlund.

In behind them was Bruno Fernandes.

They were relying on width from their full-backs Diogo Dalot and new on-loan signing Sergio Reguilon in his first game in English football for 17 months.

But Brighton’s attacking threat was pushing them back.

After a very bright start, United were looking easy to play through.

With a superb play that resulted in the opening goal, the Seagulls did precisely that to start the scoring.

Welbeck scored inside United’s own box just than a minute after it began with a throw-in inside their own half.

For the final two, Welbeck slid Simon Adingra to the right before sprinting into the penalty area to meet the return that Adam Lallana masterfully dummied for the former Red to score for the first time.

Brighton didn’t even have all their best players on the pitch.

Yet they had United on the back foot.

Ex-United man Welbeck delivered a ruthless finish 

Gross fired low past Andre Onana

Joao Pedro celebrates making it 3-0 at Old Trafford 

The only United player who looked dangerous player was Marcus Rashford who had an early chance blocked by goalkeeper Jason Steele.

United did have the ball in the back of the net five minutes before the break with what looked like being a dream moment for Hojlund on his full debut.

VAR would deny him as Rashford had let the ball roll too far before pulling it back for the Dane and a look at Stockley Park proved it had gone out of play.

Rasmus Hojlund was denied his first United goal by VAR 

A couple of minutes later United were further behind thanks to another slick move from the visitors.

Again they kept the ball comfortably before stepping up the gears as Kaoru Mitoma skidded inside, slipped a ball to Tariq Lamptey, whose square ball was brought under the spell of Gross.

Feinting to shoot he left Lisandro Martinez looking into space as the ball rolled across him and Gross finished.

Something needed to change but Ten Hag’s 64th-minute substitutions did not go down well.

Quick on the break, Lamptey was the man providing the assist again from the left with a pull back for Pedro to meet first time with a thumping shot past Andre Onana.

The new Manchester United goalkeeper was picking the ball out of the net for the tenth time in the Premier League since switching from Inter Milan and we are only five games in.

A couple of minutes later United were given slim hope when one of their own subs Hannibal did have the desired effect with his long-range screamer to get one back.

Hannibal Mejbri pulled one back with a great strike from range 

Mejbri gave a big celebration despite the scoreline 

Onana prevented Ansu Fati from making it 4-1 with a diving save in injury time.

But there would be no more, no comeback, no drama in front of the Stretford End.

By the final whistle thousands were already heading down Sir Matt Busby Way.

Erik ten Hag cut a frustrated figure on the sidelines