The omens were bad from the start for Manchester United. In a bizarre warm-up incident, Lisandro Martinez's wayward shot struck Bruno Fernandes full in the face, leaving the Portuguese midfielder with a bloody nose. It was a portent of the pain to come, as Brighton & Hove Albion delivered a knockout blow of their own, winning 2-1 to eliminate United from the FA Cup at Old Trafford.
A Night of Historic Failure for United
This defeat, following August's Carabao Cup humiliation by Grimsby Town, means United have fallen at the first hurdle in both domestic cup competitions in a single season for the first time in 44 years. The result also ensures the club will play its fewest games in a campaign since the First World War, a statistic made worse by their failure to qualify for European football for only the second time in 35 years.
Caretaker manager Darren Fletcher, in charge for just his second game after Ruben Amorim's sacking, saw his makeshift side outplayed for large periods. He reverted to a 4-2-3-1 formation favoured by Erik ten Hag, but the same porous midfield issues persisted. With Kobbie Mainoo making his first start since the Grimsby debacle and his first at Old Trafford since May, United lacked solidity, and Brighton exploited it ruthlessly.
Welbeck Haunts His Old Club Once Again
The architect of United's downfall was a familiar face. Danny Welbeck, the 35-year-old former United striker, captained Brighton and was instrumental in both goals. It was his eighth strike against his hometown club since leaving in 2014, a reminder of the value he could have offered over a decade of expensive, underperforming signings.
Brighton took the lead in the 12th minute. After fluid build-up, Fredi Kadioglu found Welbeck, who easily evaded Mason Mount. The skipper's cross was met by a free Georginio Rutter, whose header was blocked on the line by Martinez, but the clearance fell perfectly for Brajan Gruda to fire home.
United, who had 30 shots in Fletcher's first game at Burnley, tried to respond. Diogo Dalot was denied by Jason Steele early on, and Fernandes saw a free-kick saved. But Brighton always carried the greater threat and sealed victory just after the hour mark. Gruda found space on the right and fed Welbeck, who took one touch before unleashing an unstoppable shot past Senne Lammens.
Late Rally and a Debut to Forget
United pulled a goal back with five minutes remaining. Benjamin Sesko, revived under Fletcher, powered a header in from a Fernandes corner for his third goal of the week. However, any hope of a comeback was extinguished when young substitute Shea Lacey was sent off on his home debut for two bookable offences, the second for petulantly slamming the ball into the ground.
The final whistle was met with a chorus of boos, a fitting soundtrack to a dismal evening. For Fletcher, a draw at Burnley and this defeat is unlikely to convince the hierarchy he is the right interim choice ahead of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or Michael Carrick. His frustration was evident as he was booked for protesting to referee Simon Hooper. For United, the inquest into another failed season begins in earnest, with no excuses left for a team at its lowest ebb in living memory.
