Manchester United suffered a 3-1 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion in a challenging Premier League clash on Sunday, with standout performances from Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh and Kaoru Mitoma. The defeat, marked by a costly error from goalkeeper Andre Onana, left United further adrift in their bid to climb the table.
Brighton opened the scoring early, capitalizing on a defensive lapse as Mitoma’s cross set up an easy finish for Minteh. United equalized midway through the first half when Bruno Fernandes converted a penalty following a foul on Joshua Zirkzee. Despite the level scoreline at halftime, Brighton regained control in the second half.
Mitoma scored Brighton’s second goal, stretching to meet Minteh’s precise cross, while Georginio Rutter secured the third after Onana spilled a routine low cross, allowing an easy tap-in. Brighton had another goal ruled out by VAR for a foul in the buildup, but their dominance throughout the match was clear.
The loss leaves Manchester United 13th in the table, with 26 points from 22 games, while Brighton move up to ninth with 34 points. This result continues Brighton’s strong recent record against United, having won six of their last seven league meetings, including their last three visits to Old Trafford.
The game also featured a poignant tribute to United legend Denis Law, with bagpipes leading the teams out and a wreath laid at the center circle in his memory.
Brighton’s victory highlighted their clinical attacking play and United’s struggles to find form in a challenging season.