Surrendering a two-goal lead at home? That was the kind of thing that simply did not belong in the Manchester United story. But football has changed at Old Trafford.

On Wednesday night, United raced into a 2–0 lead against Brighton in the Carabao Cup. Shea Lacey and Mason Mount had given the home side exactly the start they needed. For a few minutes, it looked like United might finally have the kind of comfortable evening their supporters have been craving. Instead, the familiar nightmare returned.

Brighton scored before half-time, equalised in the second half and then completed the comeback through Maxim De Cuyper. United lost 3–2 and were eliminated from the competition in the third round. It was not simply another defeat. It was the first time in 50 years that United had lost a home match after leading by two goals. And that is why the misery surrounding Manchester United feels bigger than one result.

Just three days earlier, United had suffered another painful afternoon against Manchester City. If the City defeat exposed United's inability to take control of a match, the Brighton defeat exposed something even more troubling: the inability to protect control once they have it.

That is what makes this period so frustrating for supporters. United are not merely losing matches. They are finding different ways to lose them.

Manchester United are still trying to rebuild an identity that has been missing for years. The club has enormous resources, global support and one of the biggest names in world football. Yet the performances often look like those of a team still searching for its direction. That contradiction is perhaps the most painful part. 

But is the manager the whole problem? Changing managers has become almost routine at Old Trafford since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement. At some point, the club has to ask whether another managerial change would actually solve the deeper problems. Because if every new manager eventually finds himself dealing with the same questions: consistency, recruitment, squad balance, confidence, defensive vulnerability and pressure, then the problem cannot simply be the man standing on the touchline.

The players must take responsibility too. Against Brighton, United had the perfect platform. Two goals inside the opening ten minutes should have created confidence and control. Instead, the team allowed Brighton back into the match. Against City, United had a man advantage for most of the game but still could not find the decisive goal. That puts responsibility firmly on the players as well. United have experienced players capable of doing that, yet too often the team appears to lose its composure when momentum turns against it. That is something coaching alone cannot completely fix.