Manchester United caretaker manager Darren Fletcher has urged his players to show character and respond after their FA Cup journey came to an abrupt end on Sunday evening, Softfootball reports.
United were knocked out in the third round following a 2-0 defeat to Brighton, a result that compounded a difficult period for the club after Ruben Amorim parted ways with the hierarchy earlier this year, leaving Fletcher in interim charge.
The former midfielder admitted the setback was a tough one to take, pointing to a lack of tempo and conviction in key moments, while also acknowledging the fragile state of his squad as they look to rebuild confidence and momentum.
Speaking via United’s official X handle after the final whistle, Fletcher said:
Mixed really. I thought we started okay and then the [first Brighton] goal knocked the stuffing out of us and we didn’t really create the tempo after that. We didn’t play enough balls in behind and test them and I think our passing was quite slow, so I challenged them at half-time.
It was similar to the game in midweek [against Burnley] – move the ball with composure, but you need to move the ball with tempo and that was difficult. I thought we created enough chances, then to go 2-0 down was disappointing but the lads responded well. When we got back to 2-1, I thought ‘here we go’.
The crowd was up, the energy was up, but ultimately we couldn’t get over the line and get an equalising goal. But I think you can see the players are fragile and they need to build themselves up well because it’s up to them now, they’ve got to respond.
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With the FA Cup now out of reach, attention will quickly turn to Manchester United’s broader struggles, as results in the league have also been hard to come by. The Reds are currently without a win in their last three Premier League matches, a run that has only added to the sense of uncertainty and frustration around the club. Performances have been patchy, confidence appears fragile, and consistency has proved elusive as the season threatens to drift away.
The club hierarchy are expected to move swiftly in appointing an interim manager who can stabilise the dressing room and guide United through to the end of the campaign. Until then, Fletcher and his players will be tasked with digging deep, rediscovering belief, and showing a reaction on the pitch as they look to halt the slump and give supporters something positive to cling to in the closing months of the season.
