Brighton 2-3 Manchester United

A dramatic Bruno Fernandes penalty secured Manchester United victory in a drama-packed afternoon at Brighton.

Manchester United made three changes to the line-up that lost to Crystal Palace last weekend, but still struggled. They were pretty poor in otherwise an entertaining first-half at the Amex.

It was Brighton instead who emerged the stronger team after hitting the framework three times. The hosts deservedly took the lead when Neal Maupay cooly slotted in a penalty after Bruno Fernandes fouled Tariq Lamptey in the 40th-minute. 194 seconds later, however, United were level through a Lewis Dunk own goal.

The two sides remained unchanged for the second-half in what proved to be another entertaining 45 minutes of football.

It took only two minutes for the drama to unfold at the Amex when Paul Pogba made contact with Aaron Connolly in the box. Referee Chris Kavanagh pointed to the spot for a penalty only to overturn the decision following a VAR review.

Not only were United saved in rather controversial circumstances, but Pogba’s yellow card was rescinded as a result.

Manchester United vs Brighton:

🔵 40 minutes — Maupay goal
🔴 43 minutes — Dunk own goal
🔴 55 minutes — Rashford goal
🔵 94 minutes — March goal
🔚 96 minutes — Final whistle
🔴 99 minutes — Bruno goal pic.twitter.com/OjUwhFUjLX

— UnitedReview (@TheUtdReview) September 26, 2020

But the Red Devils’ glee soon became dismay as VAR ruled out a second goal in their favor. Marcus Rashford had rounded off a brilliant team move in the 56th-minute, but video replays showed he was a yard offside. Therefore, Kavanagh rightly disallowed the effort.

Not one to be put down by such measures, however, Rashford recovered to score again just moments later. He cut inside White from the left in the Brighton defense and fired a left-footed shot into the top-right corner, taking a deflection off Dunk in the process. Thankfully, for the Seagulls center-back, the goal wasn’t classified as another own goal.

Brighton then pushed hard for an equalizer and came close to doing so on several occasions. Leandro Trossard, who hit the framework a few times in the first-half, did so again.

Brighton & Hove Albion vs Manchester United full match Highlights HD #BHAMUN
pic.twitter.com/nvWR0mrPqC

— FTTV World (@FTTV10) September 26, 2020

Graham Potter’s side gave it everything and played some lovely football in the process. And after several chances, an unmarked Solly March equalized at the very death of the game by heading in Jahanbakhsh’s cross into a half-empty net.

But Brighton’s joy ended in dismay when Harry Maguire’s header hit Maupay’s arm at the final whistle. Initially, Kavanagh blew the final whistle only to then award United a penalty.

Bruno Fernandes then stepped up to score from the spot to seal a 100th-minute winner for the Red Devils.

Brighton: Ryan (6); White (5), Dunk (5), Webster (5); Lamptey (7), Lallana (6), Alzate (6), March (7); Trossard (7), Connolly (7), Maupay (6)

Subsitutes: Groß (6), Jahanbakhsh (6)

Manchester United: De Gea (6); Wan-Bissaka (4), Lindelof (5), Maguire (7), Shaw (6); Pogba (4), Matic (6), Greenwood (6), Fernandes (8), Rashford (7); Martial (5)

Subsitutes: Bailly (4), Fred (5), Van de Beek (5).

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