The omens were poor from the start for Manchester United. In a bizarre warm-up incident, Lisandro Martinez's wayward strike left Bruno Fernandes with a bloody nose. That foreshadowed the pain to come, as Brighton & Hove Albion delivered the knockout blow, sending United tumbling out of the FA Cup with a 2-1 victory at Old Trafford.
A Historic Low for United's Season
This result marks a grim piece of history for the club. It is the first time in 44 years that Manchester United have been eliminated at the first hurdle of both domestic cup competitions in the same season. Following their Carabao Cup humiliation by Grimsby Town in August, this FA Cup exit compounds a miserable campaign. The defeat also means United are set to play their fewest games in a single season since the First World War, a stark statistic amplified by their failure to qualify for European football.
Caretaker manager Darren Fletcher, in charge for just his second game after Ruben Amorim's sacking, could not inspire a turnaround. His night ended with a booking for dissent towards referee Simon Hooper, summing up United's frustration.
Welbeck the Wound-Opener for Faltering United
The architect of United's downfall was a familiar face. Danny Welbeck, the former United striker, scored a spectacular winner and assisted the opener for Brajan Gruda. Now 35, Welbeck's strike was his eighth goal against his boyhood club since leaving in 2014, a reminder of the effective, homegrown quality United have often lacked in their expensive recruitment over the past decade.
Fletcher had reverted to a 4-2-3-1 formation, but United's midfield, with Kobbie Mainoo making his first start since May, lacked solidity. Brighton exploited this ruthlessly, particularly down their left flank through the marauding Fredi Kadioglu.
They took the lead in the 12th minute. Welbeck easily evaded Mason Mount and found Georginio Rutter, whose header was blocked on the line by Martinez. The clearance fell kindly for Brajan Gruda to fire home. United had a massive let-off just two minutes later when goalkeeper Senne Lammens' error gifted the ball to Welbeck, but the striker's effort was saved.
No Comeback as Misery is Compounded
United, who had 30 shots in Fletcher's first game at Burnley, tried to respond. Diogo Dalot was denied early by Jason Steele, while Fernandes saw a free-kick saved. However, Brighton always carried the greater threat and sealed their victory in the 62nd minute. Welbeck received a pass from Gruda, took a touch, and unleashed an unstoppable shot past Lammens.
A late rally saw Benjamin Sesko head in from a Fernandes corner in the 85th minute, but there was to be no dramatic equaliser. Instead, United's misery was complete 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 for a club whose season of disappointment has hit yet another low. For Brighton, it was a fourth win in their last five visits to Old Trafford, underlining their rise as a serious force and United's ongoing decline.
