Brighton & Hove Albion stunned Manchester United at Old Trafford on Wednesday as they came from two goals down to win 3-2 and eliminate the hosts from the Carabao Cup in the third round.
Manchester United seemed to be in control as teenage debutant Shea Lacey put them ahead in the eighth minute before Mason Mount added a second just 43 seconds later.
Early goals gave United a dominant start as Michael Carrick’s team attempted to bounce back from their 1-0 loss to Manchester City in Sunday’s derby.
Brighton, however, refused to fold and slowly clawed their way back into the game.
But Charalampos Kostoulas pulled one back before the break to give Brighton some optimism going into the second session.
The visitors continued to press after the restart and were rewarded when Pascal Gross equalised the score after a mistake from United defender Diogo Dalot.
Maxim De Cuyper’s vital third goal completed the comeback for Brighton, turning the tie totally around and putting the visitors through to the next round.
The outcome is a significant setback for United, who had led 2-0 at home but were unable to hold their position.
The setback also piles the pressure on Carrick after United’s defeat by Manchester City at the weekend. Brighton, meanwhile, enjoyed a fine cup win after showing they have the character to respond to a tough start.
Carabao Cup third-round matchups were played without VAR as is the arrangement for the stage of the competition.
For Brighton, it is yet another memorable evening at Old Trafford. For Manchester United, it’s back to the Premier League following an early departure from the League Cup.
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