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Manchester United’s shocking 3-2 League Cup defeat to Brighton, after leading by two goals, marks a historic collapse at Old Trafford and deepens their early-season struggles.
IMAGE: Maxim De Cuyper scores Brighton and Hove Albion’s third goal during the Carabao Cup third round match against Manchester United at Old Trafford, Manchester, on Wednesday. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters
Key Points
- Manchester United lost 2-3 to Brighton & Hove Albion in the League Cup third round.
- United squandered a two-goal lead at Old Trafford, a rare occurrence not seen since 1976.
- This defeat adds to United’s poor start to the season, including a recent Premier League loss to Manchester City.
- Manager Michael Carrick took responsibility for the team’s second-half performance.
- The loss marks United’s third successive domestic cup exit, highlighting ongoing struggles.
IMAGE: Maxim De Cuyper celebrates after the match. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters
Unhappy Manchester United fans witnessed something unseen at Old Trafford in half a century on Wednesday as their side lost 3-2 at home to Brighton & Hove Albion in the third round of the League Cup after going two goals up.
The last time United lost at home after leading by two goals was in September 1976 when Tottenham Hotspur won by the same scoreline.
In the day’s other matches, Aston Villa, still to win in the Premier League this season, beat Coventry 3-1, Tammy Abraham scoring twice and Ross Barkley adding the third. Victor Tropp scored Coventry’s lone goal.
Charly Alcaraz scored the only goal of the match as Everton beat Wolverhampton, and fourth-tier Fleetwood won 1-0 against second-tier side Sheffield United, Rhys Norrington-Davies scoring an own goal.
Historic Collapse At Old Trafford
IMAGE: Shea Lacey celebrates putting Manchester United ahead early in the match. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters
While Brighton progress to the last 16, defeat was another blow to a Manchester United side who suffered a controversial 1-0 loss to rivals Manchester City in the Premier League last weekend and are 13th with one win from four games.
United conceded twice in four second-half minutes after teenager Shea Lacey had put them ahead in the eighth minute and Mason Mount made it 2-0 two minutes later.
Charalampos Kostoulas pulled one back in first-half stoppage time before Pascal Gross equalised in the 65th and Maxim De Cuyper hit the winner in the 69th, with the home fans booing at the final whistle.
Manager Takes Responsibility Amidst Poor Form
IMAGE: Pascal Gross fires the ball home for Brighton and Hove Albion’s second goal. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters
“We can’t accept that as a group. I take responsibility for it. The performance towards the end of the second half, that’s on me,” manager Michael Carrick told Sky Sports television.
It was the third successive domestic Cup loss for United after they went out in the second round of the League Cup on penalties at fourth-tier Grimsby Town last season and lost 2-1 at home in the third round of the FA Cup to Brighton in January.
Last season was the first time since 1981-82 that United failed to win a round of either domestic cup competition.
