Man United knocked out of FA Cup by Brighton, Martinelli hits hat-trick for Arsenal. 

Detected Manipulations & Suggested Changes

Appeal to emotion / Slight sensational tone

Using mildly emotive or dramatic language to shape readers’ feelings about events, even when facts are correct.

1) "Manchester United crashed out of the FA Cup with a meek 2-1 home defeat to Brighton..." 2) "United interim boss Darren Fletcher could only watch on in horror as the Red Devils’ last chance of silverware this season and likely his chances of landing the job until the end of the season went up in smoke at Old Trafford." 3) "rounded off United’s miserable afternoon." These phrases go beyond neutral description and add a dramatic, emotional framing of United’s loss and Fletcher’s situation.

4 suggestions

Replace "crashed out of the FA Cup with a meek 2-1 home defeat" with a more neutral description such as "were eliminated from the FA Cup with a 2-1 home defeat".

Change "could only watch on in horror" to a factual phrasing like "watched as" or "saw" without attributing an emotional state that is not directly quoted.

Replace "went up in smoke" with a neutral alternative such as "were significantly damaged" or "were reduced" if supported by evidence, or simply state the factual implication: "...which may affect his chances of keeping the job until the end of the season."

Change "rounded off United’s miserable afternoon" to a neutral summary such as "completed a difficult afternoon for United" or simply "came in stoppage time" if evaluation is not necessary.

Unsubstantiated claim / Mild speculation

Presenting a speculative interpretation as if it were established fact, without explicit sourcing or evidence.

"United interim boss Darren Fletcher could only watch on in horror as the Red Devils’ last chance of silverware this season and likely his chances of landing the job until the end of the season went up in smoke at Old Trafford." The statement that his chances of landing the job "went up in smoke" is speculative. The article does not provide direct evidence (e.g., statements from club officials) that this match definitively ended his prospects.

2 suggestions

Qualify the speculation: "...and likely his chances of landing the job until the end of the season went up in smoke" could be revised to "...and may have damaged his chances of landing the job until the end of the season" and ideally attribute it: "according to local media reports" or "according to some commentators" if such sources exist.

Alternatively, separate fact from inference: state the factual situation (he is interim, the team is out of cups) and then, if needed, add: "This result has led to questions in the media about his chances of keeping the job."

Unbalanced reporting / Omission of key information (perspective imbalance)

Providing more narrative depth and emotional framing for one side while giving minimal perspective or reaction from the other side.

The article gives detailed narrative and emotional framing around Manchester United’s situation (fragile players, chants against owners, Fletcher’s job prospects, historical low number of games) but offers almost no perspective from Brighton (no quotes from Brighton players or manager, no description of their performance beyond goals). Similarly, Arsenal’s performance and Martinelli’s narrative are developed more than Portsmouth’s perspective, which is limited to the early goal and the idea they were "dreaming of an upset".

4 suggestions

Add at least one quote or reaction from Brighton’s manager or a player about the match, their tactics, or significance of the win to balance the heavy focus on United’s crisis.

Include a brief description of Brighton’s overall performance (e.g., possession, chances created, defensive solidity) rather than only their goals, to avoid making them a mere backdrop to United’s problems.

For the Arsenal–Portsmouth section, add a short comment from Portsmouth’s manager or player, or a neutral summary of how they played beyond the opening goal (e.g., whether they created further chances, how they coped after going behind).

Clarify that the article’s focus is on big-club narratives if that is the editorial choice, e.g., by explicitly framing it as a round-up from the perspective of Premier League contenders, while still briefly acknowledging the achievements of lower-league sides.