Shea Lacey
January 2026
United were knocked out by Brighton, with 18-year-old Lacey seeing the first red card of his senior career after a late second booking. Brighton led through Brajan Gruda and Welbeck before Sesko pulled one back; Lacey, already booked for a late tackle, earned a second yellow for petulantly bouncing the ball after a decision.
Danny Welbeck
December 2025
Danny Welbeck was criticised online after missing a Panenka penalty that hit the crossbar in Brighton’s 2-2 draw at West Ham. He scored Brighton’s first penalty, then failed to convert a second moments later, swinging momentum. West Ham led through Jarrod Bowen before Welbeck equalised from the spot. Welbeck’s missed Panenka was punished when Lucas Paqueta scored a penalty before halftime, but Joel Veltman’s second-half goal rescued a point for Brighton.
Danny Welbeck (Brighton)
November 2025
Danny Welbeck (Brighton) has been linked with a surprise return to Manchester United, with observers suggesting the in-form 34-year-old could mentor Benjamin Sesko (Manchester United) and bolster a misfiring attack as the young Slovenian battles poor form and a worrying new knee problem. Revitalised under Fabian Hurzeler (Brighton), Welbeck has hit six league goals in 11 games, prompting rumours of a comeback to Old Trafford. Sesko’s latest setback came after a lively cameo against Tottenham, cut short by a knee issue that left Ruben Amorim (Manchester United) concerned and increased pressure to sign a striker.
Chelsea
September 2025
Chelsea’s owners, including Behdad Eghbali, entered the dressing room after a 3-1 collapse to Brighton, sparking speculation. The Blues had led through Enzo Fernández before Danny Welbeck’s brace and Maxim De Cuyper’s late strike turned the game upside down. Maresca dismissed concerns, saying the owners regularly visit post-match and did not address players. Despite his calm, the defeat piled pressure on Chelsea, who once again squandered control and collapsed defensively, leaving questions about resilience and tactical cohesion.
