Brighton eliminate Manchester United at Old Trafford as Danny Welbeck scores twice

According to Goal, Brighton knocked Manchester United out of the FA Cup at Old Trafford as Danny Welbeck scored twice, with the Seagulls becoming only the third team in 43 years to eliminate United in the third round.

Welbeck created the opener and then doubled Brighton's lead with a second‑half piledriver. Benjamin Sesko pulled one back with an 85th‑minute header, but teenager Shea Lacey was sent off four minutes later for throwing the ball into the ground in anger, which erased United's momentum. The defeat leaves United reliant on qualifying for Europe and severely harms Darren Fletcher's chances of being named interim manager for the rest of the season.

Fletcher had made three changes from his previous game, handing Kobbie Mainoo his first start since August and recalling Leny Yoro and Mason Mount, while Brighton made six changes from their draw with Manchester City. United started quickly but Diogo Dalot missed a clear one‑on‑one and skied another effort before the 11th‑minute goal: Welbeck's cross was cut back for Giorginio Rutter, Lisandro Martinez cleared a header off the line and Brajan Gruda turned in the rebound. Welbeck then punished slack defending from Yoro and Patrick Dorgu to smash in his eighth goal against United, and after Sesko's late header Lacey's red card ended any hope of a comeback.

Key Topics

Sports, Danny Welbeck, Brighton, Manchester United, Old Trafford, Shea Lacey