Manchester United suffered a disappointing 3-2 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in the Carabao Cup at Old Trafford on Wednesday, marking a series of setbacks for the club in recent days. The loss ended a nearly 50-year-old record—Manchester United had not lost a match at Old Trafford after leading by two goals since September 1976, when Tottenham won 3-2.
The match began promisingly for the hosts, with Brighton’s teenage midfielder Shea Lacey opening the scoring as early as the eighth minute. Lacey's skillful run and finish set the tone, soon followed by Mason Mount’s goal two minutes later after a rebound from Jason Steele, giving United a 2-0 lead. Despite this early dominance, Brighton, currently fifth in the Premier League under manager Fabian Hürzeler, fought back strongly.
Maxim De Cuyper scored the decisive goal in the 69th minute, putting Brighton ahead for the first time in the match. First, Luka Vuskovic pulled one back for the visitors after a clearance mistake by Diogo Dalot, and then De Cuyper sealed the comeback by capitalizing on a deflection off United’s Noussair Mazraoui. Charalampos Kostoulas nearly added a fourth for Brighton, underscoring United’s defensive struggles in the latter stages.
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick, who has taken charge amid a difficult start to the season, made late substitutions in a bid to salvage the game, bringing on Bruno Fernandes and Matheus Cunha. However, despite increased possession and attacking intent, United were unable to find a route back into the match. Marcus Rashford missed a late opportunity to equalize, firing directly at Steele in goal.
This defeat comes amid a challenging run for Manchester United. They recently lost their 19th Manchester derby to Manchester City and are reportedly dealing with internal issues, including JJ Gabriel’s expressed desire to leave the club. United’s league form has been poor, securing just four points from 12 available, placing additional pressure on Carrick’s side to respond quickly. They face Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday and will be eager for a positive result.
Carrick acknowledged the difficulty of the situation but emphasized that the disappointment against City could fuel the team’s motivation moving forward. Brighton, meanwhile, demonstrated resilience and tactical acumen, extending their strong league form and continuing to impress with their ability to recover from early setbacks.
Overall, Manchester United’s early-season struggles continue to raise questions about squad cohesion and tactical direction, underlining the urgent need for improvement as the team seeks to regain stability in a demanding campaign.