Manchester United's interim manager Darren Fletcher has leapt to the defence of teenage winger Shea Lacey following his dramatic sending-off in the club's FA Cup exit to Brighton & Hove Albion.
Emotional Old Trafford Exit for Youngster
The 18-year-old academy graduate's first senior appearance at the Theatre of Dreams ended in despair on Sunday, January 11, 2026. Introduced as a late substitute with United chasing the game, Lacey's cameo lasted just a few minutes before he received two quick yellow cards.
The first booking came for a late tackle on Brighton's Brajan Gruda in the 87th minute. His frustration then boiled over just moments later. After a foul on Ferdi Kadioglu went unpunished, Lacey petulantly threw the ball away and was shown a second yellow for dissent, resulting in a red card.
The young player was visibly distraught as he made his way down the tunnel at Old Trafford, with United ultimately losing the third-round tie 2-1.
Fletcher's Furious Defence
Speaking to TNT Sports after the final whistle, caretaker boss Fletcher was scathing in his assessment of the refereeing and fiercely protective of his young charge.
'Shea Lacey's yellow card is ridiculous compared to the fouls that we had against us all game,' Fletcher stated. 'Ultimately the lad makes a mistake and is sent off. For me it is poor refereeing.'
When asked about Lacey's state of mind, Fletcher revealed the player's disappointment but emphasised his immense potential. 'He's disappointed because he cares and he understands and he knows he will learn from it,' Fletcher said.
'There is no doubt about his talent and it was a steep learning curve today but we believe in Shea. He's one of our most exciting young prospects and I'm sure at Old Trafford he will have a chance to make amends for that in the future.'
Fragile United Out of Cups
The defeat effectively ends United's hopes of winning any silverware this season, a fact Fletcher conceded. He also admitted his squad looked 'fragile' after conceding, struggling to recover from going behind.
'We started OK and then the goal knocked the stuffing out of us,' he analysed. 'I challenged them at half-time to move the ball with tempo... When we got back to 2-1 I thought here we go, the crowd was up, but we couldn't get it over the line.'
Fletcher, whose brief stint as caretaker is likely over with an interim appointment imminent, called on the players to rediscover their confidence. 'This team is still good enough to achieve success this season but they have to dig deep,' he insisted.
With only Premier League matches remaining, Fletcher acknowledged fan discontent but believes a positive reaction can win back support. United's next challenge is a huge Manchester derby against City at Old Trafford next weekend.
