United throw away two-goal advantage at Old Trafford as Brighton complete dramatic comeback
Manchester United suffered another damaging setback on Wednesday night after surrendering a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 to Brighton and crash out of the League Cup in the third round.
The defeat compounds a difficult start to the campaign for Michael Carrick’s side, who have now suffered consecutive home defeats following Sunday’s controversial 1-0 loss to Manchester City.
United appeared to be cruising after two quick goals inside the opening 10 minutes at Old Trafford.
Teenager Shea Lacey opened the scoring after eight minutes with a clinical finish into the bottom corner after taking possession inside the Brighton penalty area.
Mason Mount doubled the advantage just two minutes later, reacting quickest after Marcus Rashford’s effort had been saved by Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele before firing into the roof of the net.
However, Brighton gradually fought their way back into the contest.
The visitors reduced the deficit in first-half stoppage time when Charalampos Kostoulas capitalised on poor defending from Ayden Heaven and drilled the ball beyond United goalkeeper Karl Darlow.
The goal appeared to unsettle the home side, and Brighton took full advantage after the interval.
Pascal Gross brought Brighton level in the 65th minute, controlling Luka Vuskovic’s header before firing home from close range.
United’s defensive problems then came back to haunt them again five minutes later.
In the 70th minute, Kostoulas found space to deliver a pass for Maxim De Cuyper, who swept the ball into the net from six yards to complete Brighton’s remarkable turnaround.
Carrick attempted to rescue the game by introducing Bruno Fernandes and Matheus Cunha late in the match, but United were unable to find a response as Brighton held on for a memorable victory.
The result means Brighton have now eliminated Manchester United from two domestic cup competitions in the space of nine months, having also defeated them in the FA Cup at Old Trafford in January.
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It was also the first time in 50 years that Manchester United had lost a home match after taking a 2-0 lead.
The latest defeat increases the pressure on Carrick, who had been handed the permanent managerial role after guiding United to third place last season during his spell as interim boss.
United had been expected to mount a serious title challenge this season, but three defeats in six matches across all competitions have raised early questions about the team’s form, squad depth and close-season recruitment.
Carrick’s decision to make eight changes for the League Cup encounter also appeared to expose the lack of depth available to him.
United will now turn their attention to the Premier League, with Fulham awaiting them in west London on Sunday.
A further defeat could intensify the scrutiny surrounding Carrick just weeks into the new campaign.
Despite the disappointment, Lacey provided one of the night’s few positives for United, with the highly rated youngster scoring his first senior goal for the club.
Meanwhile, another promising teenager, JJ Gabriel, has reportedly indicated that he could seek a move away from Old Trafford.
Villa Beat Coventry as Abraham Strikes Twice
Elsewhere in the League Cup, Tammy Abraham scored twice as Aston Villa defeated Coventry City 3-1 at the CBS Arena to claim only their second victory of the season.
Villa took an early lead when Abraham finished from George Hemmings’ clever pass in the seventh minute.
Coventry responded in the 27th minute through Victor Torp, who produced a superb free-kick to level the contest.
Ross Barkley restored Villa’s advantage five minutes before half-time with a header from Ibrahim Mbaye’s corner.
Abraham then put the result beyond doubt in the 59th minute, calmly finishing from Barkley’s flick to complete his brace.
Both Villa and Coventry have endured difficult starts to their respective league campaigns, with both clubs currently occupying places in the Premier League relegation zone.
Everton, Fleetwood Progress
Everton also advanced after Charly Alcaraz came off the bench to secure a 1-0 victory over second-tier Wolves.
Alcaraz settled the tie in the 80th minute with a curling strike that gave Everton the decisive advantage.
Fourth-tier Fleetwood Town produced another upset by defeating Championship side Sheffield United 1-0 to reach the League Cup fourth round for the first time in the club’s history.
Tuesday’s fixtures had already seen Arsenal defeat Ipswich Town 4-2, while Liverpool recorded a 3-1 victory over struggling Tottenham Hotspur.
Fulham also emerged victorious in a five-goal thriller, beating West Ham United 3-2, while Brentford secured a 2-1 win against Reading.
The remaining third-round fixture will see holders Manchester City host Norwich City on Thursday.
For Manchester United, however, attention now turns firmly to Sunday’s Premier League clash with Fulham, with Carrick facing an early test of his team’s ability to recover from a bruising run of results.
