Brighton strike late to inflict damaging defeat on Ten Hag’s Man Utd

Published
0
Brighton & Hove Albion’s Joao Pedro celebrates scoring their second goal.—Reuters
Brighton & Hove Albion’s Joao Pedro celebrates scoring their second goal.—Reuters

Joao Pedro’s 95th-minute header handed Brighton a 2-1 win over Manchester United on Saturday as 31-year-old boss Fabian Hurzeler enjoyed a dream home Premier League debut.

United looked to have snatched a point when Amad Diallo’s deflected effort cancelled out Danny Welbeck’s first-half opener for Brighton.

The visitors could even have won it had Alejandro Garnacho’s effort not clipped team-mate Joshua Zirkzee, who was in an offside position, just before the ball crossed the line.

Instead, it is Brighton who have a maximum of six points from their opening two games under Hurzeler as Pedro was left completely unmarked to head in Simon Adingra’s cross deep into stoppage time.

Defeat puts the spotlight back on United boss Erik Ten Hag with Liverpool set to visit Old Trafford next weekend.

Ten Hag survived at the end of last season, despite finishing eighth in the Premier League, thanks to winning the FA Cup.

The former Ajax coach got a much-needed 1-0 win against Fulham to open the season last weekend thanks to Zirkzee’s late winner.

But the performances in both United’s first two league matches of the new campaign have done little to suggest there will be a marked improvement from a dismal season in 2023/24.

Ten Hag kept faith with the side that started against Fulham with Zirkzee and Garnacho again only used as impact substitutes.

Brighton thrashed Everton 3-0 away in Hurzeler’s first match in charge and showed they will be a contender to get back into European football next season.

The Seagulls took the lead on 32 minutes when Harry Maguire failed to cut out a dangerous cross and Kaoru Mitoma rolled the ball back across goal for Welbeck to tap in for his 100th career goal.

Within seconds the visitors thought they were level when Marcus Rashford bundled in at the back post after Jason Steele brilliantly saved his initial effort.

However, the offside flag denied the England international. Brighton flew out of the traps after the break but failed to build on their advantage.

James Milner had an effort cleared off the line by Diogo Dalot before Welbeck headed off the bar.

United had barely been in the Brighton half since the restart until Diallo drove forward, cut inside onto his left foot and found the net via a deflection off Jan Paul van Hecke.

Zirkzee had replaced Mason Mount at the break but after a hero’s debut, the Dutchman was the villain for what should have been a second United goal.

In a blistering counter-attack, Diallo fed Bruno Fernandes and his low cross was fired goalwards by Garnacho.

However, the ball clipped Zirkzee’s knee on its way in and the forward was ruled offside after a VAR review.

That proved to be the turning point as it was Brighton who got the decisive third goal.

Questions will be asked of United’s defending as Pedro easily pulled away from Scott McTominay and Matthijs de Ligt to find the space to head back across Andre Onana into the far corner.

Opinion

Editorial

Kashmir unresolved
Updated 30 Sep, 2026

Kashmir unresolved

The just solution lies in India addressing the issue through a trilateral dialogue involving the legitimate representatives of the Kashmiri people and Pakistan.
Water shortage
30 Sep, 2026

Water shortage

THAT the country is entering the Rabi season with an anticipated water shortage of nearly 25pc, the lowest carryover...
Young hearts
30 Sep, 2026

Young hearts

THE observance may have passed, but the message of World Heart Day should not fade with it. The occasion is a useful...
Terror and politics
Updated 29 Sep, 2026

Terror and politics

There is an urgent need to tone down the rhetoric and tackle terrorism as a collective challenge for both the affected provinces and the federation.
Watching the glaciers
29 Sep, 2026

Watching the glaciers

THE latest signs from Pakistan’s mountains are worrying. Suparco says the number of unfrozen glacial lakes it...
Dangerous agenda
29 Sep, 2026

Dangerous agenda

AS the world remains fixated on the US-Iran conflict, elsewhere in the Middle East, Israel is consolidating its grip...