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LIVERPOOL \u2013 Liverpool beat Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0 on Sunday to grab their first home win of the Premier League season, while Manchester United slumped to an embarrassing 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth that will heap further pressure on under-fire manager Michael Carrick, who benched captain Bruno \u200bFernandes.<\/strong><\/p>\n The Portuguese playmaker was left out of the starting team after criticising Carrick\u2019s tactics in a 4-1 Champions League defeat to Italian \u200cside Como in mid-week.<\/p>\n Any hope that the move might inspire the rest of the side evaporated when Rayan scored for the Cherries in the 38th minute, with Marcus Tavernier adding a second goal before the break.<\/p>\n Evanilson\u2019s superb third saw a trickle of fans head for the exits, and that trickle became a flood as the end approached with Fernandes still on the bench and very \u200blittle sign that United would be capable of mounting any sort of a comeback.<\/p>\n With the final whistle greeted by a loud chorus of boos, the \u200bdefeat left Carrick\u2019s side in 16th place on seven points, one above the relegation zone, and they are without a \u2060win in the league since beating Ipswich Town 5-2 on August 30.<\/p>\n The only consolation for the beleaguered coach came from the fans who remained \u200bto cheer him as he left the pitch before booing the players who had again failed to deliver on the field.<\/p>\n \u201cIt wasn\u2019t a farewell from me. I\u2019m \u200bmixed emotions, I\u2019m feeling it for my players, they\u2019re going through a tough spell. Some of it we can help, some of it, the situation unravels and the boys are feeling it at the moment,\u201d he told Sky Sports before admitting that his future was uncertain.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a tough situation, there\u2019s no hiding from it. What it looks like and what\u2019s next I really \u200bdon\u2019t know. I will always do my best for the football club and I won\u2019t change that now. I love what I do and I feel \u200bthe responsibility. We\u2019ll have to wait and see.\u201d<\/p>\n Stand-in captain Harry Maguire said that the United players needed to take a long, hard look in the mirror.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the most important thing \u2013 think \u200cwhat you \u2060can do more and what more you can contribute to the team, and if we do that we\u2019ll get somewhere,\u201d he told Sky Sports.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a huge club and every day you have to prove why you\u2019re wearing this badge. At the moment, we\u2019re not doing enough as players. Michael turned our season on its head last year, and we played brilliant football and got brilliant results \u2013 this season, we haven\u2019t performed well enough as individuals.\u201d<\/p>\n Liverpool enjoyed a much \u200bmore positive afternoon as they welcomed high-flying \u200bBrighton to Anfield, netting twice in \u2060a high-energy first half to bring an excellent run of four league wins on the trot for the Seagulls to a shuddering halt.<\/p>\n Brighton defender Pascal Gross steered a Florian Wirtz shot into his own net in the 17th minute, and Alexander \u200bIsak scored the second with a deftly taken first-time finish from Bradley Barcola\u2019s pass four minutes later to secure the \u200bwin.<\/p>\n \u201cI think today \u2060the performance was really good, really solid, against a really good team,\u201d Isak said after netting for the third league game in a row.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first half is really what we want to be about \u2013 intensity and winning balls and encountering. So yeah, I\u2019m really happy, especially with the first half.\u201d<\/p>\n The win lifts Liverpool to fourth in the table \u2060on 15 \u200bpoints, one behind Brighton. Manchester City remain top of the standings on 21 points despite dropping their \u200bfirst points of the season on Saturday in a 2-1 reverse against Aston Villa, with Arsenal in second place on goal difference.<\/p>\n Newcastle United got back to winning ways with a 2-0 win away \u200bto Crystal Palace, while Hull City were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Brentford.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n