Football results - Man Utd once again displayed frustration with a lackluster loss to Brighton on home ground, ending their FA Cup run.
Right after the kickoff, Man Utd took the initiative to push their formation forward, constantly pressuring with shots from Diogo Dalot, Bruno Fernandes and Matheus Cunha. However, goalkeeper Jason Steele remained focused and repeatedly denied Brighton's scoring attempts.
While the home team struggled to find the opening goal, Brighton showed sharpness in capitalizing on their chances. In the 12th minute, from a chaotic situation inside the box, Brajan Gruda unleashed a decisive left-footed shot, putting the visitors ahead.
The concession forced Man Utd to speed up the pace, but shots from Sesko, Lisandro Martínez, and Bruno Fernandes failed to equalize. The first half ended with Brighton holding a temporary advantage.
In the second half, the "Red Devils" increased their pressure, creating more dangerous opportunities. Yet before they could level the score, the home side suffered another blow. In the 64th minute, Danny Welbeck calmly finished inside the box, doubling Brighton's lead after an assist from Gruda.
With nothing left to lose, Old Trafford unleashed more attacking options, and their efforts were finally rewarded in the 85th minute. From a corner by Bruno Fernandes, Benjamin Sesko rose high to head the ball and reduce the deficit to 1-2, reigniting hope for the hosts. In the final moments, Man Utd poured forward, and Harry Maguire nearly became the hero with a dangerous header during stoppage time, but Jason Steele stood firm.
In the end, Man Utd lost 1-2 to Brighton, officially exiting the FA Cup. This means Man Utd will only compete in the Premier League this season, having previously been eliminated early from the Carabao Cup last August.