Manchester United 1, Brighton 3
Brighton beat Manchester United for the third time season running at Old Trafford after goals by Yankuba Minteh, Kaoru Mitoma, and Georginio Rutter.
The Reds only reply was a Bruno Fernandes goal which levelled the scores briefly in the first half but the Seagulls ran out deserved winners.
United went behind after just 5 minutes after a simple ball over the top released Kaoru Mitoma and his cross into the box was converted by Yankuba Minteh.
United levelled with a Bruno Fernandes penalty after 23 minutes when Carlos Baleba pulled down Joshua Zirkzee.
But they were lucky not to go behind again after 53 minutes when the Reds failed to clear Yasin Ayari’s free kick and Joao Pedro put away the loose ball – VAR showed that Jan Paul van Hecke had fouled Diogo Dalot in the build-up.
But Brighton did take a deserved lead when Kaoru Mitoma beat Noussair Mazraoui to the ball to tap in at the back post after getting on the end of Yankuba Minteh’s cross from the right.
United manager Ruben Amorim immediately made a double change – removing United’s dysfunctional midfielders Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo and bringing on Toby Collyer and Alejandro Garnacho.
But the Reds conceded again after 76 minutes when Georginio Rutter rounded a grounded and hopelessly embarrassed Andre Onana after the Cameroonian keeper had spilled a routine cross by Yasin Ayari into the box.
That blow was fatal as United’s attack seemed ill-equipped to find a way past the Seagull’s giant defence.
Embed from Getty ImagesPLAYER RATINGS – Manchester United 1, Brighton 3
Andre Onana: 4. Let in 3 goals – the third a howler when he spilled a Yasin Ayari cross and allowed Georginio Rutter to go round him, trod on Jan Paul van Hecke without censure during one of their set pieces.
Leny Yoro: 5. Poor game and lost his temper at the end, pushing over Solly March after fouling him.
Harry Maguire: 5. Played Brighton players onside for Yankubeh Minteh goal. Missed the target with a header from a set piece but was flagged offside anyway. Loads of defensive headers as Brighton tried to press home their set pieces.
Mathijs De Ligt: 5. Brave block to deny Danny Welbeck but had a torrid time at the back.
Noussair Mazraoui: 5. Caught out by long ball over the top and could not catch up with Kaoru Mitoma.
Manuel Ugarte: 6. Got stuck in, but didn’t leave a big impression on the game and was first booked and then substituted off.
Kobbie Mainoo: 6. Covered a lot of ground. Blocked a shot from his own player by mistake.
Diogo Dalot: 6. Tried to get a penalty with no luck. Attacked well but worryingly left gaps.
Amad Diallo: 7. Still showing good movement and pace. Slightly mistimed run to go clear but couldn’t find a way past Bart Verbruggen. Got back to tackle Kaoru
Bruno Fernandes: 6. Levelled things up with a penalty, got around the pitch well – had to go deeper after the second half reshuffle but could not raise his team mates.
Joshua Zirkzee: 6. Looked lightweight up against the Brighton defence, won the penalty that United equalised with but didn’t perturb the Seagulls’ defence. Had a shot blocked in the second half.
Toby Collyer (on for Manuel Ugarte, 64): 6. Filled in at midfield again but not much help there.
Alejandro Garnacho (on for Kobbie Mainoo, 64): 5. Did not change the game going forward – his shots were wayward.
Antony (on for Noussair Mazraoui, 84): No time to mark
Rasmus Hojlund (on for Joshua Zirkzee, 84): No time to mark
TEAM NEWS – Manchester United 1, Brighton 3
3 changes for Manchester United following their late win against Southampton. Harry Maguire, Diogo Dalot, and Joshua Zirkzee started the game.
Lisandro Martinez, Alejandro Garnacho, and Rasmus Hojlund stepped down to the bench.
GOALS – Manchester United 1, Brighton 3
Man Utd 0, Brighton 1: 5. Yankuba Minteh had a tap in at Old Trafford after Kaoru Mitoma was allowed to raid the left flank after a ball over the top left Noussair Mazraoui marooned with Leny Yoro missing. United were caught trailing after an easy square ball from the Japanese winger.
Man Utd 1, Brighton 1: 23. Bruno Fernandes levelled it from the spot – sending Bart Verbruggen the wrong way after Carlos Baleba pulled down Joshua Zirkzee.
Man Utd 1, Brighton 2: 60. Kaoru Mitoma beat Noussair Mazraoui to the ball to tap in at the back post after getting on the end of Yankuba Minteh’s cross from the right.
Man Utd 1, Brighton 3: 76. Georginio Rutter rounded a grounded and hopelessly embarrassed Andre Onana after the Cameroonian keeper had spilled a routine cross by Yasin Ayari into the box. Mathijs De Ligt couldn’t stop him from scoring.
MATCH STATS – Manchester United 1, Brighton 3
Man Utd: Onana, Yoro, Maguire, De Ligt, Mazraoui (Antony 84), Ugarte (Collyer 64), Mainoo (Garnacho 64), Dalot, Amad, Fernandes (C), Zirkzee (Hojlund 84)
Man Utd Subs not used: Bayindir, Martinez, Malacia, Eriksen, Casemiro
Bookings: Ugarte 61; Maguire 90+4; Yoro 90+8 (foul on Solly March)
Goal: Fernandes 23 pen
Brighton: Verbruggen, Veltman, Dunk, van Hecke, Estupinan (Lamptey 84), Baleba (Gomez 90+3), Ayari, Minteh (March 69), Pedro (Enciso 90+3), Mitoma, Welbeck (Rutter 69)
Brighton Subs not used: Steele, Webster, Adingra, McConville
Bookings: Baleba 21 (foul on Joshua Zirkzee); Minteh 43; March 90+8
Goals: Minteh 5; Mitoma 60; Rutter 76
Referee: Peter Bankes
Attendance: 73,758