Brighton's Murray sees the positives despite Manchester United defeat

Albion suffered a 2-1 away loss to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's revitalised Manchester United on Saturday, condemning Chris Hughton's side to a second successive league defeat.

After falling 1-0 at home to top-of-the-table Liverpool the previous weekend, Murray was keen to stress that their displays over the past fortnight are a sign of progress despite the scorelines.

SEE ALSO Brighton winger reflects on another frustrating trip to Manchester United | Manchester United midfielder admits the Red Devils had to work hard to beat Brighton | Six things we learned from Manchester United v Brighton & Hove AlbionHe said: "We don’t feel like we have been torn open or outplayed too much. Obviously at points, these clubs have got very good individuals and they can do a piece of magic but we feel we have kept that to a minimum in both games.

"In terms of getting things away at Old Trafford and Liverpool, they are always difficult places to come to, no matter how long you have been in the division.

"We are progressing gradually and I think at the right pace. We take things from this year that we have improved from last year and, if it continues in that momentum, we are doing something right."

United opened the scoring thanks to a Paul Pogba penalty on 27 minutes after a foul by Albion defender Gaetan Bong. It was the second penalty Brighton had conceded in as many weeks after Pascal Gross' foul on Mo Salah saw the Egyptian step up and convert to take the three points for Liverpool the weekend before.

As the Seagulls continue to search for their first league win in 2019, Murray believed referee Paul Tierney was right to award the Red Devils the spot-kick but stressed that Albion can't keep on gifting 'big clubs like these penalties'.

He added: "I think it probably is a penalty. It’s difficult to tell straight away.

"I think Pogba just gets the wrong side of Gaetan and it’s a little bit of a coming together.

"Liverpool at home and Manchester United away are games we are not necessarily expected to get any points out of. They are like free shots for us.

"We take positives from both our performances but the one thing that stands out is obviously the two penalties. You can’t gift big clubs like these penalties.

"It gives them a foot up in the game and it puts us on the back foot. It is difficult to come to a place like this and a team like Manchester United and give them a penalty to help them."

Murray is Brighton's leading goal-scorer in the Premier League, having scored eight times, but hasn't found the net since he opened the scoring from the penalty spot in Brighton's 3-1 home win over Crystal Palace on December 4.

Even more worrying for Albion is that Murray hasn't scored a goal from open play since their 1-1 home draw with Leicester City on November 24.

The Seagulls forward spurned a glorious opportunity to equalise in the first half, before he was replaced by Florin Andone on the hour, and Murray admitted that he 'expected to do better' with the chance.

He said: "The ball was running away from me and I just felt as though I was running out of angle more than anything. It had a wicked spin on it from Solly (March)’s ball and unfortunately I just sliced it.

"That is the one thing from this afternoon that I was disappointed with. Whether it's against Burnley, Liverpool, Manchester United or anybody – I expect to do better."