Brighton Knock Manchester United Out of FA Cup at Old Trafford
Another bitter night at Old Trafford. Manchester United’s season continues to unravel after a damaging FA Cup exit.
No Safety Net Left for United
The nightmare shows no sign of ending at Old Trafford. Brighton & Hove Albion delivered another heavy blow to Manchester United, knocking them out of the FA Cup with a 2-1 win on Sunday, January 11 — a result that virtually wipes out the Red Devils’ hopes of silverware this season.
The third-round elimination leaves United with only the Premier League to focus on, the sole competition in which they remain alive midway through January.
A Disastrous Opening
With Darren Fletcher still in charge on an interim basis following the dismissal of Rúben Amorim, United got off to a disastrous start. Just 12 minutes in, a dangerous run from Danny Welbeck ended with a cross that Lisandro Martínez managed to clear off the line, only for the rebound to fall perfectly for Brajan Gruda, who finished from point-blank range.
The situation nearly worsened moments later. A costly mistake in possession by Sanne Lammens gifted Brighton a golden chance, but Welbeck somehow missed with the goal at his mercy.
The Law of the Ex Strikes
Welbeck made amends after the break. The former United forward collected a pass from Brajan Gruda and unleashed a stunning strike into the top corner, leaving Lammens helpless.
Despite his history at Old Trafford, Welbeck celebrated without hesitation — a moment that summed up Brighton’s confidence and United’s ongoing struggles.
Too Little, Too Late
Knowing what was at stake, Fletcher named a lineup packed with first-choice players, but even that failed to spark a turnaround. United have now won just one of their last seven matches, and although they pushed late on, it was not enough.
Benjamin Šeško pulled one back to give the home side hope, but United could not force extra time. The frustration deepened when academy product Shea Lacey was sent off after picking up two yellow cards in the space of two minutes.
A Season Slipping Away
As the club searches for a permanent manager — with Ole Gunnar Solskjær emerging as a leading candidate — the outlook remains bleak for Manchester United. They are not playing in Europe after last season’s collapse, were knocked out of the EFL Cup by Grimsby Town of League Two, and have now exited the FA Cup as well.
That leaves only the Premier League, where a title challenge is unrealistic and qualification for the Champions League is the lone achievable target. United currently sit seventh on 32 points, three off the top four.
United become the second member of the Big Six to exit this year’s FA Cup, following Tottenham Hotspur, who were eliminated by Aston Villa on Saturday.
Another dark chapter at Old Trafford — and further confirmation that this crisis is no longer an anomaly, but the norm.
