Manchester United 1, Brighton 2 (FA Cup 3rd Round)
Manchester United were dumped out of the FA Cup by a makeshift Brighton side with goals from Brajan Gruda and Danny Welbeck.
Benjamin Sesko pulled a late goal back through a header from Bruno Fernandes’ corner but the wind was taken out of their sails after a late second yellow card for Shea Lacey left the Reds down to ten men as Brighton saw out their first ever FA Cup win against the Reds.
The result means United will play a maximum of 40 games this term – the fewest since 1914/15 – after being eliminated from both domestic cup competitions at the first hurdle for the first time since the 1981/82 season.
United were denied three times by Jason Steele’s goalkeeping after a breathless start where Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes had chances blocked by the Brighton keeper while Benjamin Sesko beaten to the ball by Steele who raced off his line to clear a through ball.
But it was Brighton who took the lead after 12 minutes when Georginio Rutter’s header was blocked on the line by Lisandro Martinez after United failed to deal with Danny Welbeck’s cross into the box – and Brajan Gruda was there to fire home the rebound.
United were rattled and Rutter spooned another rebound over the bar after Senne Lammens passed the ball directly to Welbeck but managed to block his snap shot.
Joel Veltman dragged a shot wide after Matheus Cunha curled an offer over the bar.
United couldn’t make sufficient headway into the makeshift Brighton defence through a combination of inept final passing and heroic defending by the visitors.
And when Veltman fouled Benjamin Sesko, Bruno Fernandes drilled a low free kick under the Brighton wall but past the near post.
This, and a clumsy attempt to back heel when clean through by Dalot, and a brilliant chance by Cunha dragged wide summed up United’s day.
Veltman blazed over after a loose ball from a blocked free kick fell to him in the second half.
United continued to look poor and things got worse when a simple cross from Brighton found its way to Danny Welbeck and he rifled home his customary goal against his former club into the top corner past the diving Senne Lammens after 64 minutes.
It was desperate measures for United and substitute Shea Lacey’s dipping shot rippled the roof of the net as time ran out while Sesko forced a save from Jason Steele following a neat turn and shot.
Benjamin Sesko gave United a lifeline with 5 minutes to go when he headed home Bruno Fernandes’ corner from 6 yards out inside the back post.
But Lacey got 2 bookings in the space of 3 minutes and was sent off as the game went into 5 minutes of added time for throwing the ball away – a second bookable offence in the space of 3 minutes after a needless foul on Yasin Ayari.
The 10 men of United tried hard for a second goal to take the tie to extra time but couldn’t manage it.
Embed from Getty ImagesPLAYER RATINGS – Manchester United 1, Brighton 2 (FA Cup 3rd Round)
Senne Lammens: 6. Huge rick to give Danny Welbeck the ball but he rectified his original mistake by making the save.
Diogo Dalot: 6. Broke free in opening seconds but denied by Jason Steele. Blazed over after that and a clumsy attempt to back heel a ball when he broke free down the right again fell apart.
Leny Yoro: 6. Options in front of him limited.
Lisandro Martinez: 6. Cleared Georginio Rutter’s shot off the line. Had a shot of his own blocked.
Patrick Dorgu: 6. Not his best game at left back.
Kobbie Mainoo: 6. Progressive passer. Looked like someone coming back from injury at times though and a tired foul on Danny Welbeck that got him booked saw him hooked not long afterwards.
Manuel Ugarte: 6. Second best in several midfield battles.
Mathias Cunha: 6. Curled a shot over the bar. Great chance spurned in first half injury time when he dragged a shot wide.
Bruno Fernandes: 6. Had a great shot tipped away by Jason Steele. Looked off the pace. His first half free kick went under the wall but wide of the goal.
Mason Mount: 6. Not too effective as a number 8 but did manage a shot on goal that missed the target.
Benjamin Sesko: 7. Several chances to score wasted before he grabbed a late header to give United hope.
Shea Lacey (on for Kobbie Mainoo, 61): 5. Big cheers when he came on. Needlessly booked late in the game and then sent off stupidly for throwing the ball away.
Joshua Zirkzee (on for Mason Mount, 61): 6. Ineffective up front.
Casemiro (on for Manuel Ugarte, 79): No time to mark
Harry Maguire (on for Lisandro Martinez, 79): No time to mark.
TEAM NEWS – Manchester United 1, Brighton 2 (FA Cup 3rd Round)
Luke Shaw, Ayden Heaven, Casemiro were replaced by Leny Yoro, Kobbie Mainoo, and Mason Mount following the draw at Burnley to face a weakened Brighton side captained by ex-United striker Danny Welbeck.
GOALS – Manchester United 1, Brighton 2 (FA Cup 3rd Round)
Man Utd 0, Brighton 1: 12. Georginio Rutter’s header was blocked on the line by Lisandro Martinez but Brajan Gruda reacted first and stabbed in the rebound.
Man Utd 0, Brighton 2: 64. Danny Welbeck rifled the ball into the top corner from 14 yards out after easily breaking free of the United defence beyond Leny Yoro to meet a square pass from the right.
Man Utd 1, Brighton 2: 85. Benjamin Sesko headed home Bruno Fernandes’ corner from 6 yards out as Harry Maguire’s run confused the visitors defence. Game on!
MATCH STATS – Manchester United 1, Brighton 2 (FA Cup 3rd Round)
Man Utd: Lammens, Dalot, Yoro, Martinez (Maguire 79), Dorgu, Mainoo, Ugarte (Casemiro 79), Cunha, Fernandes (C), Mount (Zirkzee 61), Sesko
Man Utd Subs not used: Bayindir, J Fletcher, T Fletcher, Heaven, Lacey, Malacia
Bookings: Mainoo 60 (foul on Danny Welbeck); Lacey 87 (foul on Yasin Ayari); Maguire 90+3
Red Card: Lacey 90 (second yellow card for throwing the ball away)
Goal: Sesko 85
Brighton: Steele, Veltman (Ayari 78), Coppola, Boscagli, Kadioglu, Henshelwood, Gross, Gruda (Watson 90+2), Gomez (van Hecke 78), Rutter (Kostoulas 83), Welbeck (Mitoma 78) (C)
Brighton Subs not used: Verbruggen, Dunk, Howell, Tasker
Booking: Kostoulas 90+3
Goals: Gruda 12; Welbeck 64
Referee: Simon Hooper