Match ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Manchester United 0.
BrightonBrighton & Hove Albion1Man UtdManchester United0
Manchester United's Champions League hopes suffered a setback as Brighton scored a dramatic 99th-minute penalty winner to keep their own European ambitions on track.
Alexis Mac Allister converted deep into injury time to settle a Premier League thriller at Amex Stadium.
United - in the fourth and final Champions League qualification spot - stay four points ahead of fifth-placed Liverpool, but now have only one game in hand.
And Brighton deserved this victory for a relentless approach that finally gave them the breakthrough seconds from the end after Luke Shaw handled, the penalty awarded after a video assistant referee review.
Brighton, in sixth, are now only four points adrift of Liverpool, who have played two games more, and their celebrations at the final whistle contrasted sharply with the desolation of their defeat by United on penalties in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley less than two weeks ago.
Both sides had chances in a superb game, with Antony shooting wide for United in the opening seconds while both Marcus Rashford and Antony Martial forced Brighton keeper Jason Steele into important saves.
Brighton, fresh from the 6-0 thrashing of Wolves, played with the verve that has become their trademark. Kaoru Mitoma shot straight at David de Gea when clean through, and missed another good chance after the break, while Danny Welbeck was also off target with another presentable opening.
The Seagulls turned up the pressure in stoppage time, De Gea saving superbly from Mac Allister and Pervis Etupinan before they finally made the breakthrough.
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Superb Brighton aim for Europe
Brighton's thrilling attacking style under manager Roberto de Zerbi has got their fans dreaming of European football next season and the scenes of celebration at the final whistle reflected the belief and optimism surging through the club.
On this evidence, if Brighton do reach Europe, they will be a wonderfully entertaining addition.
They showed they have recovered from losing to United at Wembley by refusing to take a backward step, hunting down their tiring opponents in the game's later stages.
Brighton play with a pace and intensity that is pure theatre at times and in the end it just proved too much for United, although this game was settled on the fine margin of that late penalty.
Argentina World Cup winner Mac Allister ignored the noise and pressure to beat De Gea convincingly and send the Brighton fans wild. How they enjoyed De Zerbi leading his triumphant players on a lap of honour at the final whistle.
For all Brighton's excellence, they still relied heavily on goalkeeper Steele, who was outstanding when called upon.
Brighton have struggling Everton at home next and in this mood and form, will feel capable of beating anyone.
Man Utd away day blues continue
Manchester United are still in a good position to qualify for the Champions League by finishing in the top four but there is no doubt an indifferent away record is putting them under pressure.
This defeat was their seventh in 17 games, winning seven and drawing three, and for all they made Steele work, the traffic flowed nearly all one way towards their goal as the clock ticked down.
Shaw looked a very guilty man as Brighton manager De Zerbi and his entire backroom staff demanded a penalty in the closing seconds, the inevitable confirmed after VAR invited referee Andre Marriner to visit the screen.
United had their chances but found Steele in top form, their problems coming as they appeared to run out of steam in the second half.
Martial missed one of those opportunities but otherwise gave a lifeless, lacklustre performance and it was no surprise when he was eventually substituted.
United now travel to West Ham United on Sunday and will know their margin for error has been reduced by this defeat.
Player of the match
GilmourBilly Gilmour
with an average of 8.42
Brighton & Hove Albion
Avg
- Squad number27Player nameGilmourAverage rating
8.42
- Squad number10Player nameMac AllisterAverage rating
7.95
- Squad number23Player nameSteeleAverage rating
7.60
- Squad number5Player nameDunkAverage rating
7.55
- Squad number25Player nameCaicedoAverage rating
7.51
- Squad number30Player nameEstupiñánAverage rating
7.36
- Squad number7Player nameMarchAverage rating
7.32
- Squad number20Player nameEncisoAverage rating
7.29
- Squad number4Player nameWebsterAverage rating
7.28
- Squad number22Player nameMitomaAverage rating
7.25
- Squad number40Player nameBuonanotteAverage rating
7.07
- Squad number21Player nameUndavAverage rating
6.91
- Squad number18Player nameWelbeckAverage rating
6.87
- Squad number6Player nameColwillAverage rating
6.85
Manchester United
Avg
Squad number29Player nameWan-BissakaAverage rating5.28
Squad number2Player nameLindelöfAverage rating4.99
Squad number1Player namede GeaAverage rating4.93
Squad number23Player nameShawAverage rating4.90
Squad number20Player nameDiogo DalotAverage rating4.25
- Squad number15Player nameSabitzerAverage rating
4.17
Squad number10Player nameRashfordAverage rating4.06
- Squad number18Player nameCasemiroAverage rating
3.92
Squad number17Player nameFredAverage rating3.78
- Squad number25Player nameSanchoAverage rating
3.46
- Squad number8Player nameBruno FernandesAverage rating
3.41
- Squad number27Player nameWeghorstAverage rating
3.30
Squad number9Player nameMartialAverage rating3.25
- Squad number21Player nameAntonyAverage rating
3.21
Line-ups
Brighton
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 23Steele
- 25CaicedoBooked at 86mins
- 4WebsterBooked at 52mins
- 5DunkBooked at 70mins
- 30Estupiñán
- 27GilmourSubstituted forColwillat 75'minutesBooked at 77mins
- 10Mac Allister
- 40BuonanotteSubstituted forMarchat 63'minutes
- 20Enciso
- 22Mitoma
- 18WelbeckSubstituted forUndavat 75'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Sánchez
- 6Colwill
- 7March
- 21Undav
- 26Ayari
- 29van Hecke
- 42Offiah
- 49Moran
- 51Peupion
Man Utd
Formation 4-3-3
- 1de Gea
- 29Wan-Bissaka
- 2Lindelöf
- 23ShawBooked at 90mins
- 20DalotBooked at 59mins
- 17FredSubstituted forSabitzerat 76'minutes
- 18CasemiroBooked at 44mins
- 8Bruno Fernandes
- 21AntonyBooked at 69minsSubstituted forSanchoat 76'minutes
- 9MartialSubstituted forWeghorstat 84'minutes
- 10Rashford
Substitutes
- 5Maguire
- 12Malacia
- 14Eriksen
- 15Sabitzer
- 25Sancho
- 27Weghorst
- 28Pellistri
- 31Butland
- 33Williams
- Referee:
- Andre Marriner
- Attendance:
- 31,577
Match Stats
Home TeamBrightonAway TeamMan Utd
- Possession
- Home60%
- Away40%
- Shots
- Home22
- Away16
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away5
- Corners
- Home8
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away14
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Manchester United 0.
Post update
Goal! Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Manchester United 0. Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton and Hove Albion) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the top left corner.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Post update
VAR Decision: Penalty Brighton and Hove Albion.
Post update
Penalty conceded by Luke Shaw (Manchester United) with a hand ball in the penalty area.
Post update
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Wout Weghorst.
Booking
Luke Shaw (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Julio Enciso (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Luke Shaw (Manchester United).
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Attempt saved. Pervis Estupiñán (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Solly March.
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Attempt missed. Adam Webster (Brighton and Hove Albion) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Solly March with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by David de Gea.
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Attempt saved. Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Solly March.
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Foul by Julio Enciso (Brighton and Hove Albion).
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Luke Shaw (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Lewis Dunk (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Wout Weghorst (Manchester United).
Booking
Moisés Caicedo (Brighton and Hove Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Attempt missed. Solly March (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Levi Colwill following a fast break.
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Comments
Join the conversation
Antony is such a horrible, nasty player….
He was rightly yellow carded for that hack at MacAllister (which could easily have been a red!) AND clear dissent, especially angry dissent, which Antony also displayed (to the referee AND linesman) is a yellow card.
🟨 + 🟨 = 🟥 !!!!
Come on referees….GET A GRIP!!
Luke Shaw... step by step got Brighton closer to the goal:
1. Gives away free kick in dangerous position.
2. From the same free kick gives away a corner.
2. From the same corner gives away a penalty.
GOAAAAAAAL
Deserved winners, FA cup revenge.
The irony....
One hell of a team Brighton.
Passing and movement was excellent.
Solly March made a difference coming on.
Pleased for him and everyone involved with Brighton. Well played.
Brighton great team.
But my main observation of tonight’s match is that Casemiro’s head is far too big for his body. However, this pales into insignificance when you’re playing alongside Roland Rat.
Good night.
Goodnight