Manchester United fell 2-1 to Brighton & Hove Albion in the [FA Cup third round](https://footballtoday.com/2025/12/08/fa-cup-third-round-draw-tottenham-man-united-newcastle-aston-villa-in-premier-league-showdowns/) at Old Trafford on Sunday.
United started the game on the front foot with Diogo Dalot squandering a big chance to give them the lead inside two minutes.
The Brighton goalkeeper made another superb stop in the seventh minute, denying Fernandes’ free kick from beating him at the far post.
Brighton would draw first blood as Danny Welbeck did well to pick out Georginio Rutter, whose header was saved by Senne Lammens. The rebound fell to Brajan Gruda, who tucked it home.
Shortly after, Welbeck missed a golden chance, intercepting Lammens’ poor pass, but the United keeper recovered in time to smother his effort.
The hosts dominated possession for the rest of the first half but were unable to restore parity before the break.
United picked up where they left off after the break, creating the first chance of the second half from a Fernandes free-kick, which Mason Mount headed over the bar.
Taking encouragement from United’s profligacy, Brighton doubled their lead after the hour mark. Gruda slipped Welbeck through, and the forward smashed an unstoppable shot into the net.
Five minutes from time, Benjamin Sesko gave United a lifeline, heading Fernandes’ pinpoint corner into the back of the net to make it 2-1.
Any hopes of staging a comeback was dashed when youngster Shea Lacey was sent off after receiving a second yellow card.
The result marked the first time [United have lost to Brighton in the FA Cup](https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/how-to-watch-and-follow-man-utd-v-brighton-in-the-fa-cup-11-january) and only their third defeat in 41 games at this stage of the competition.