Brighton continue their dominance over inconsistent Man Utd with another win
The Seagulls have now won six of their last seven Premier League matches against the Red Devils.
Brighton recorded their third straight Premier League away win at Manchester United as second-half goals from Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter secured three points on a day of tributes to Denis Law at Old Trafford.
Rutter capitalised on an dismal error from United goalkeeper Andre Onana to seal it in the 76th minute after Mitoma had poked home from close range on the hour, securing a deserved win for the industrious Brighton.
Bruno Fernandes’s 23rd-minute penalty cancelled out an early opener from Yankuba Minteh but Ruben Amorim’s inconsistent United side remain without back-to-back Premier League wins all season, and Brighton are becoming a bogey team, having now won six of their last seven league matches against United.
After ending a run of eight games without a win by beating Ipswich 2-0 on Thursday, the win lifts Brighton up to ninth in the table, but this poor United side remain stuck in 13th, having won just one of their last six league games.
Before the match, United paid tribute to Law, the ‘King of the Stretford End’ who died on Friday at the age of 84. The last of the United Trinity, which also included Sir Bobby Charlton and George Best, Law is third on United’s list of top goalscorers with 237 in 404 appearances for the club.
The teams were led on to the Old Trafford pitch by a bagpiper playing Flower of Scotland before Sir Alex Ferguson, accompanied by Brian Kidd, Paddy Crerand and Alex Stepney, laid a wreath, followed by a poetic tribute and a minute’s applause.
United were struggling to find much fluidity, but were gifted an equaliser by the visitors. Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, already guilty of one poor clearance in the opening stages, played the visitors into trouble with another as Amad Diallo picked off the ball and played in Zirkzee.
The Dutchman, starting in place of Rasmus Hojlund, was clumsily brought down in the box by Baleba – shown a yellow card as Old Trafford demanded red – before Fernandes sent Verbruggen the wrong way for his eighth goal of the season and third from the penalty spot.
Brighton thought they were back in front eight minutes into the second half. Yasin Ayari seemed to mis-hit his free-kick but when the ball spooned up, Pedro controlled it and spun away to slide the ball home.
But United argued that Jan Paul van Hecke had fouled Dalot when challenging for the ball and, after being sent to the screen by VAR Craig Pawson, referee Peter Bankes agreed.
However, there were no arguments when Mitoma did get the second on the hour, sticking out a leg at the far post to turn in Minteh’s cross after a driving run from Ayari.
United laboured to produce a response. Zirkzee saw a shot charged down by Joel Veltman after another run from Diallo, and moments later a horrible error at the back gave Brighton their third.
Ayari’s cross from the right should have been routine for Onana but the United goalkeeper failed to hold it and a grateful Rutter, just on as a substitute, rounded him to tap home his fourth goal in his last three appearances.
