Manchester United’s hopes of finishing in the top four this season suffered a blow after they lost 1-0 away at Brighton tonight.
After going 120 minutes without scoring at Wembley recently, both sides should have scored within the first few minutes, but Kaoru Mitoma for Brighton and Antony for Man United both missed big chances.
Brighton dominated possession during the first-half, although United had the better of the chances, with Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford forcing Jason Steele into decent stops.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side were much the better team throughout the second period, but despite their impressive all-round play they struggled to create much in the way of clear-cut opportunities and the game looked destined to end 0-0.
However, in the 95th minute, Brighton would be given a golden chance to win the game when they were awarded a penalty for a handball by Luke Shaw. World Cup winner Alexis MacAllister duly stepped up and fired an unstoppable strike into the top corner to seal a big win for the south coast side.
United remain in fourth and in a good position to finish in the top four, but fifth-placed Liverpool – five points behind – will have been buoyed by this defeat. Speaking afterwards United boss Erik Ten Hag lamented his sides’ inability to take the chances they created in the opening 45 minutes.
“We have to be more clinical on our chances we produced in the first half. In the end we gave away a goal and that can’t happen,” Ten Hag told Sky Sports.
”It was also a little unlucky because it was never a free kick from where the corner came from but then you can’t bounce back anymore and that is what we have to do on Sunday.
“We had the chances clear. Great opportunities, one has to be in.”
”It is about keeping the focus. Don’t lose the focus, then we take that point. In the end if you can’t win it because you don’t finish the chances then don’t lose.
“It is handball, maybe he is out of balance or maybe got a push in the back.
”My anger is more about the free kick before the corner, it was never a free kick. There were so many bad tackles tonight.
“It is not about the officials, we have to finish the chances, be more clinical and don’t make the mistakes we did like in the last seconds.
“We have everything in our hands and we have to bounce back. We take the lessons from tonight and we have to move on.”
