Three things we learnt as Manchester United beat Brighton in six-goal thriller

Matheus Cunha opened his account for the Red Devils with a signature long-range effort, nestling into the far corner with absolute precision.

Casemiro doubled the host's lead just 10 minutes later, when his effort took a huge deflection, leaving Bart Verbruggen wrong-footed and helpless.

Bryan Mbeumo capped another fabulous performance off with his fourth of the campaign; a brilliant turn and ball from Benjamin Sesko, followed by a tidy finish at the near post by the Cameroonian.

Brighton's substitutions in the second half brought them back into the game, but it was former United man Danny Welbeck who really struck fear into the Old Trafford faithful.

A bizarre free kick awarded by referee Anthony Taylor was expertly dispatched into the roof of the net by the 34-year-old, and made for a nervy final 15 minutes.

Charalampos Kostoulas headed home just minutes from time to give the visitors hope, but Mbeumo stepped up yet again for United to hammer home a terrific move and secure the three points in emphatic fashion.

With that being said, here are three things we learnt from the fascinating encounter.

New signings making the impact again

After a shaky opening 10 minutes, United settled in and looked comfortable thanks to some of their big money signings from the summer.

Clearly, Cunha had one of the most important impact on the game after scoring the opening goal. It was a trademark goal from the Brazilian, who found the bottom corner from the edge of the box, curling it around Jan Paul van Hecke and leaving Bart Verbruggen absolutely no chance.

It marks his first goal in a United shirt and his first in 16 games for club and country, but there’s every sign that he will kick on from here.

It is the seventh goal the former Wolves star scored from outside the box in the Premier League since the start of last season - more than any other player. His expertise is spectacular finishes, and United got their first taste of it this evening.

But it isn’t just the goals that mean Cunha already looks like a successful signing; it’s the link-up play with his team-mates, and in particular, fellow new signing Bryan Mbeumo.

Of course, it was Mbeumo's two brilliant strikes won the game in the end for United, and the pair's sheer quality is truly starting to shine.

The duo cost a combined £130million this summer, but have totally elevated this United side. Neither player boasts notable stature, but when the ball is hit to them, it sticks. Their first touch is impeccable, the ability to beat men is also fantastic and with both on form together, they will cause a threat to any team.

It was a quiet game for Benjamin Sesko, although he should’ve hit the back of the net after a brilliant team move, but it is Senne Lammens in the United net who has also impressed early doors.

Two clean sheets from his opening three games; the Belgian looks calm, assured and comfortable when coming for crosses. He has a habit of catching rather than parrying balls, and adds a composed character to a back-line crying out for one.

Put it all together, and, while it was a monster £230million outlay at Old Trafford this summer, it's so far, so good for the new additions.

​Not the old Brighton anymore

Brighton exploded into this game and almost exploited a nervy United defence at the start of the match. When they failed to capitalise on this, they allowed United control and struggled to keep possession after that.

And that is the big difference that is starting to show with this Brighton team - it is a little bit stagnant. They just don’t quite carry the same threat or boast as much intensity as what Premier League fans have been blessed to witness in recent years.

Yankuba Minteh will always cause opponents problems with his sheer pace, but Maxim De Cuyper does not quite add the same threat that Kaoru Mitoma does, and Georginio Rutter, while brilliant on his day, has been disrupted by injuries and is yet to get up to full speed.

What has always been synonymous with Brighton over the years has been their slick and brave playing from the back, but they were punished for this again today when van Hecke’s attempted pass to Rutter was too easily robbed by United, leading to Casemiro’s goal.

The Seagulls were vastly improved after the introduction of Diego Gomez and, in particular, Tom Watson. The former Sunderland star injected energy and a directness that had not been seen. They came out fighting, but barring Welbeck's sublime free kick and Kostoulas' header from a corner, it was to no avail.

Brighton have won on their last three trips to Old Trafford, losing just once in their last eight meetings against United. Tonight was a completely different story; United were comfortable for much of the game, until the final minutes.

And their season tells a tale of their inconsistency, too. Victories over Newcastle, Chelsea and Manchester City have been marred by failing to beat Wolves, Everton and Fulham.

The high expectations that have been set on this Brighton team after their remarkable performances in recent years have just been missed so far, and boss Fabian Hurzeler will be keen to iron out their teething issues and find some consistency.

Ruben Amorim has United ticking - but there's still work to do

This evening’s game marked United’s third consecutive win, and their fourth on the spin at Old Trafford - Amorim has found a way to make this team start ticking.

The last three results, including Sunderland and Liverpool as well as today’s opponents, have shown United in a totally different light: balanced, creative and, most of all, confident.

Their dismal run of form over the last 18 months has left some players on their knees in terms of form and their mentality on the pitch. They have been given a new lease of life.

But, while United were dominant for large parts of tonight's match, the nerves were rife throughout Old Trafford in the closing stages. It should have been routine after they found themselves 3-0 to the good, but they allowed Brighton back into the game and almost paid the price for it.

Today's game showed how much progress has been made in recent weeks, but also just how much there is to do. They cannot afford to throw away control in a game like they did today.

Their next fixture sees them take a trip to Nottingham to take on Sean Dyche’s Forest. It will certainly be another stern test, but one that Amorim must be up to.