Brighton & Hove Albion claimed their first-ever FA Cup victory over Manchester United with a 2-1 third-round win at Old Trafford.
Gruda fired Brighton into a 12th-minute lead from his interception of Lisandro Martinez’s clearance of Georginio Rutter’s header.
Ex Utd forward, Danny Welbeck doubled Brighton’s lead against his former team with a 64th-minute strike from Gruda’s pass.
Benjamin Sesko netted a 85th-minute consolatory header for United but Brighton clung on to secure their fourth-round spot, ahead of the draw tomorrow evening (12 January) at Anfield, Liverpool, after Utd’s Shea Lacey was red carded for dissent in the 89th minute.
Having never beaten Man Utd in their six previous FA Cup ties – of which two of those clashes went to subsequent replays, Brighton almost fell behind in the opening minutes if not for Jason Steele’s blocks of Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes’ shots.
Brighton however exposed United’s defensive vulnerabilities out wide in the 12th minute as a move was fed forward to Welbeck, whose cross was headed on goal by Rutter but Lisandro Martinez made a tame block on the line, which Gruda thumped in on the rebound to put the Seagulls ahead.
The first half subsequently became a see-saw battle with little notable chances at opposite ends as Utd’s Benjamin Sesko lobbed a shot straight into Steele’s arms and Matheus Cunha rifled wide, whilst Joel Veltman and Welbeck fired wide for Brighton as Fabian Hurzeler’s Seagulls held firm until half time.
Despite their one-goal deficit at half time, Man Utd struggled to make much notable impact early in the second half whilst Veltman rifled wide from a 54th-minute diversion of Gruda’s free-kick.
Utd’s wide issues again proved their downfall in the 64th minute as a pass up the right was allowed to be freely played forward for Gruda, who found Welbeck to calmly cut in and rifled into the top-left corner to extend Brighton’s lead over his former team.
Sesko two minutes later wasted a chance to cut Utd’s deficit after he met Patrick Dorgu’s pass, but the Slovenian dragged his shot wide of the right corner via Steele’s deflection.
Further frustration awaited Sesko in the 69th minute as he met Lacey’s cross but nodded his header wide of the left corner.
Brighton soon opted to try and control the game until its conclusion as Utd began to push amidst torrential rain, until Sesko nodded in a 85th-minute corner from Fernandes’ corner.
Utd however blew any chance of a comeback after Lacey was red carded for dissent in the 89th minute, having booted the ball away in frustration after referee, Simon Hooper awarded a decision against him.
What’s Next?
Man Utd turn their focus back to the Premier League on Saturday 17 January as they host cross-city rivals, Manchester City at Old Trafford in a 12:30pm GMT kick-off
Brighton though will have an eight-day wait before they return to top-flight action as they host Bournemouth at AMEX Stadium on Monday 19 January at 8pm.
Teams
Man Utd: Senne Lammens, Diogo Dalot, Leny Yoro, Lisandro Martinez (Maguire 79′), Patrick Dorgu, Kobbie Mainoo (Zirkzee 62′), Manuel Ugarte (Casemiro 79′), Matheus Cunha, Bruno Fernandes, Mason Mount (Lacey 62′), Benjamin Sesko
Substitutes: Altay Bayindir, Casemiro, Jack Fletcher, Tyler Fletcher, Ayden Heaven, Shea Lacey, Harry Maguire, Tyrell Malacia, Joshua Zirkzee
Brighton: Jason Steele, Joel Veltman (Ayari 77′), Diego Coppola, Olivier Boscagli, Ferdi Kadioglu, Jack Hinshelwood, Pascal Gross, Brajan Gruda (Watson 92′), Georginio Rutter (Kostoulas 83′), Diego Gomez (Van Hecke 77′), Danny Welbeck (Mitoma 78′)
Substitutes: Yasin Ayari, Lewis Dunk, Harry Howell, Charalampos Kostoulas, Kaoru Mitoma, Charlie Tasker, Bart Verbruggen, Tom Watson, Jan Paul van Hecke
Referee – Simon Hooper
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