Man Utd 1-3 Brighton: Hosts' unbeaten home Premier League run ...
Manchester United's dismal start to the new Premier League season continued as they lost 3-1 to Brighton for the fourth top-flight game in a row.
For the first time in 33 years, Man Utd have lost three of their first five league games of a season, with the Old Trafford defeat ending a run of 20 games unbeaten at home in the Premier League.
The irony was in the performance - far better from Man Utd, with Rasmus Hojlund and Sergio Reguilon impressing on their first starts and Marcus Rashford looking lively on the left wing.
But they were undone by some questionable defending for all three of Brighton's goals, with the visitors not allowing any mistake to go unpunished.
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Former Man Utd striker Danny Welbeck was left unmarked as he swept home the 20th-minute opener. After the break, neither Lisandro Martinez nor Victor Lindelof reacted quickly enough to intercept Tariq Lamptey's passive pass, allowing Pascal Gross to double the visitors' lead in the 53rd minute.
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In a similar fashion, Joao Pedro was allowed plenty of space at the top of the area to curl home a delightful third in the 71st minute, although Hannibal Mejbri immediately replied two minutes later for the hosts. However, it did not spark the comeback Old Trafford craved.
Rashford has nine shots - but no goals
Marcus Rashford attempted nine shots against Brighton, his most ever in a single Premier League match, and the most by a Man Utd player without scoring in the competition since Zlatan Ibrahimovic against Burnley in October 2016 (12).
Only against fierce rivals Manchester City and Liverpool have Man Utd lost four successive Premier League games, with Brighton quickly becoming their bogey team. The result sees Erik ten Hag's side drop into 12th place with six points.
Meanwhile, Brighton jump up to fourth place after a fourth win in their opening five league games this season, boosting them further ahead of their first Europa League game on Thursday.
Player ratings
Manchester United: Onana (6), Dalot (7), Lindelof (5), Martinez (5), Reguilon (7), Casemiro (6), Eriksen (7), McTominay (6), Fernandes (7), Hojlund (7), Rashford (7).
Subs: Martial (6), Hannibal (6), Garnacho (n/a), Pellistri (n/a), Wan-Bissaka (n/a).
Brighton: Steele (7), Lamptey (8), Dunk (7), Van Hecke (8), Veltman (7), Dahoud (6), Lallana (6), Gross (7), Adingra (7), Welbeck (6), Mitoma (7).
Subs: Fati (7), Pedro (7), Gilmour (6), Milner (6), Ferguson (n/a).
Player of the match: Tariq Lamptey.
Man Utd began brightly at Old Trafford. Inside six minutes, Rashford was expertly picked out by Reguilon, but the England forward's effort was seen away by Jason Steele's foot.
Soon after, Hojlund almost opened his Premier League account on his first start for the club. However, he could not quite reach Rashford's low pass.
Stream the Premier League and more with NOWGet Sky Sports | Download the Sky Sports appBrighton then began to find a foothold in the game, and in the 20th minute, Welbeck scored his fourth goal against his former side. The striker picked out Simon Adingra down the right, with the latter's cutback finding an unmarked Welbeck as he lashed home past Andre Onana.
Image: Danny Welbeck celebrates after giving Brighton a first-half lead at Old Trafford
Rashford looked the most likely to equalise for Manchester United - his thunderous strike from range was blocked by Mahmoud Dahoud soon after Brighton's opener. Then, a fine solo run saw his shot ricochet off Joel Veltman's back and ping off the top of the crossbar. Late in the half, another effort from range blazed over.
Image: Rasmus Hojlund found the net only for his effort to be ruled out
Just before the last Rashford miss, Hojlund thought he had equalised for Man Utd in the 40th minute. However, Rashford's cross into the area had gone out of play before he delivered, with the Dane's strike correctly ruled out by VAR.
Team news
Rasmus Hojlund and Sergio Reguilon made their first Man Utd starts in three changes. Scott McTominay also came into the XI, replacing Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Anthony Martial and Antony. Brighton made six changes from the win against Newcastle. Evan Ferguson made the bench, but there was not place in the squad for Pervis Estupinan. Bart Verbruggen, Billy Gilmour, Solly March and Joao Pedro also dropped out. Jason Steele, Tariq Lamptey, Mahmoud Dahoud, Adam Lallana, Danny Welbeck and Simon Adringra came into the XI at Old Trafford.Man Utd ended the first with only one of their eight shots on target, and after two wasted moments from Rashford, Brighton capitalised on more lackadaisical defending to double their lead.
Lamptey's cross into the area had little conviction, but neither Lindelof nor Martinez could react in time. It allowed a waiting Gross to snatch the ball up before rifling home his seventh goal against United.
Image: Pascal Gross celebrates after doubling Brighton's lead against Manchester United
There were loud boos around Old Trafford as Hojlund was replaced by Antony Martial in the 64th minute. The afternoon deteriorated further as Brighton added a third. A far better cutback from Lamptey found an unmarked Pedro at the top of the area and it was a sweet strike that beat Onana.
Just as Man Utd fans started heading for the exits, their team pulled a goal back almost immediately. It was ultimately a speculative effort from Mejbri, who fired home into the bottom corner from 25 yards out.
Image: Hannibal Mejbri celebrates after scoring a consolation goal for Manchester United against Brighton
But it was Brighton who could have added a few more before the end of the game. The biggest chance fell to debutant Ansu Fati, but his strike was pushed away well by Onana.
How the match played outOpta stats - Man Utd racking up the goals concededBrighton's Pascal Gross has scored seven Premier League goals against Man Utd - accounting for a quarter of his overall total in the competition (7/28). Four of those have come at Old Trafford; only Mo Salah and Steven Gerrard (both 5) have more as a visiting player at Old Trafford in the Premier League's history.Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi became only the eighth manager to win both of his first two Premier League games against Manchester United, after Glenn Hoddle, José Mourinho, Sven-Goran Eriksson, Carlo Ancelotti, Garry Monk and Mikel Arteta.Manchester United have conceded two or more goals in each of their last four Premier League games, their joint-longest such run in the competition (also four from May-August 2001). What's next?Manchester United's next game is a trip to Bayern Munich on Wednesday as they begin their Champions League campaign - kick-off 8pm.
Erik ten Hag's side then return to Premier League action at Burnley on Saturday - kick-off 8pm.
Brighton's next outing is at home to AEK Athens on Thursday as they begin their Europa League campaign - kick-off 8pm.
The Seagulls then return to Premier League action at home to Bournemouth on September 24 - kick-off 2pm.
