Brighton continued their mastery of Manchester United with a deserved win at Old Trafford this afternoon.
On a day that saw United honour the memory of the great Denis Law, who died on Friday, the Seagulls emerged worthy winners as Ruben Amorim’s worries continued with another lacklustre display from his side.
Yankuba Minteh put Brighton ahead and, although Bruno Fernandes levelled from the penalty spot, Kauro Mitoma and Georginio Rutter added second-half goals for Fabian Hurzeler’s side.
FT: ALBION WIN AT OLD TRAFFORD AGAIN! 🙌
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📰 Table Of Contents
Shambolic Onana symbolic of United’s problems
Rutter’s goal came about after an awful mistake from United goalkeeper Andre Onana and summed up the hosts’ misery as they lost to Brighton for the eighth time in 16 Premier League meetings.
United came into the game with plenty of momentum after Amad Diallo’s late hat-trick saw them beat Southampton on Thursday night but the atmosphere fell flat early on when Mitoma burst past Noussair Mazraoui and crossed for Minteh to tap in.
Fernandes had already come close to an equaliser with a shot that flashed wide before the Portugal international did level things up from the spot.
A loose pass from Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen was intercepted by Diallo, who played it in to the recalled Joshua Zirkzee only for the Dutchman to be hauled down by Carlos Baleba.
Fernandes sent Verbruggen the wrong way from 12 yards, rolling it into the bottom left-hand corner.
Brighton were playing largely on the counter but it was an approach that was paying dividends and they almost restored their lead shortly before half-time.
Minteh picked out Dany Welbeck inside the area but the former United striker was denied a goal on his return to Old Trafford by a brilliant block by covering defender Diogo Dalot.
Effort ruled out by VAR
Brighton thought they had scored again eight minutes after the restart, Joao Pedro firing in after United had failed to clear Yasin Ayari’s free-kick only for the goal to be chalked off by VAR following a foul on Dalot by Jan Paul van Hecke.
They weren’t to be denied on the hour mark, though.
Minteh played the ball into the far post and Mitoma did enough to shrug off the challenge of Mazraoui and turn the ball in.
United went in search of another equaliser but Zirkzee’s shot, after a surging run from Diallo, was blocked by Van Hecke.
It was to prove a pivotal moment as Brighton promptly went down the other end and ended the contest with a third goal.
Onana thought he had snuffed out the danger by coming out to gather Ayari’s cross but, having initially claimed it, he released the ball and Rutter had the straightforward task of firing into an empty net.
Amorim threw on Antony, who is on the verge of ending his miserable spell at United with a loan move to Real Betis, and Rasmus Hojlund and it did put some life back into United’s attacking play.
Diallo forced Verbruggen into a low stop before another substitute Alejandro Garnacho shot wide when well placed.
Their efforts came to nothing, though, as Brighton held on with relative ease to hand United a fourth defeat in seven games in all competitions.
The Seagulls are up to ninth, just four points off the Champions League spots, with United down in 13th.
