Man Utd 1 Brighton 2 LIVE RESULT: Cristiano Ronaldo can’t fire United to draw as Seagulls clinch historic win – reaction
BRIGHTON scored their first EVER win at Old Trafford to ruin the start to Manchester United's season.
Cristiano Ronaldo came off the bench to try and save Erik ten Hag's side from an embarrassing defeat at home, but he could not do the job.
Pascal Gross' double stunned the Theatre of Dreams as familiar frailties continued from last season for United.
Danny Welbeck's perfectly-timed run beat the offside trap and the former United striker squared across the box for Gross to ghost in at the far post for a tap-in.
Then a well-worked second goal saw David de Gea spill the ball straight into Gross' path for an easy chance.
- Man Utd 1-2 Brighton: Mac Allister (OG) 68; Gross 30, 39
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Stay up to date with all the latest from Old Trafford...
Huge club, even bigger challenge
The hierarchy at Old Trafford will be scratching their heads at what is going wrong at their football club.
Big players, even bigger wages and an annual turnover most countries would be proud of.
But for all of that, they cannot find the winning formula to get them back to where they want to be, challenging for major honours again.
ten Hag is now the eighth manager to take the helm in hope of changing fortunes at Old Trafford.
Some huge names have tried before with Jose Mourinho even saying that his greatest achievement in football was finishing in second place in the Premier League with the squad he had at Man Utd.
It could be another long season for Red Devils fans as they are forced to take a back seat, watching their rivals compete in another title race.
Dutch curse continues to plague league
Only one Dutch manager has won his first game in charge of a Premier League side.
Guus Hiddink was the man, in charge of his first Chelsea game, winning at Aston Villa in 2009.
There will be a lot of disappointed fans leaving Old Trafford who were expecting their day to be very different.
Sir Alex Ferguson looks overjoyed at the final whistle.
Credit: PA Potter casts spell over Old Trafford
Brighton continue their away form from last season.
Tactically, the visitors were superb today.
Graham Potter set his side out to capitalise on the frailties of this Man Utd side and boy did they carry out his instructions.
It could have been a bigger scoreline had VAR correctly overturned a penalty decision for a foul on Danny Welbeck but no Brighton fan will care now as it is the three points that count.
FT: Man Utd 1-2 Brighton
It is all over!
Brighton have their first ever Premier League victory at Old Trafford.
Welcome to Manchester Erik ten Hag.
If he didn't realise the size of the challenge before, now he does.
Man Utd 1-2 Brighton
90+4. Not long left here now.
Brighton are doing the sensible thing and looking to run the clock down whenever they have chance.
Welbeck makes way for Undav.
Closely run thing between him and Gross for 'Man of the Match' for me.
Credit: Reuters Man Utd 1-2 Brighton
90+2. Lamptey does well to win a free kick just outside of the United box.
It is fired in but is cleared just as quickly by the home side.
The camera pans on to one of the Glazier's in the crowd.
I'm not sure which one it is, it's like naming which Bee Gee you just saw.
Man Utd 1-2 Brighton
90. Sancho, Shaw and Fernandes come off for Malacia, Elanga and Garnacho.
Last chance saloon for the home side to find an equaliser.
March comes off for Levi Colwill for Brighton.
We are going to have five minutes of added time here.
Credit: Reuters Man Utd 1-2 Brighton
88. Corner comes in for United and finds Martinez on the back post.
His header is blocked but the ball breaks straight back to him.
He looks to unleash a shot at goal but Lewis Dunk comes from nowhere with a sliding challenge to prevent what seemed to be an almost certain goal.
Man Utd 1-2 Brighton
86. The ball breaks to Eriksen some way out.
Rolling the ball in front of him, the Danish midfielder looks to have a shot at goal.
The ball is blocked and Brighton are able to clear.
Man Utd 1-2 Brighton
84. It is breaking down all too often for United.
When it does, it gives the visitors the chance to counter attack.
Running down valuable minutes on the clock in the process.
Man Utd 1-2 Brighton - Mac Allister chance!
82. The ball breaks to the Brighton attacker some way out.
With no one putting pressure on him, he decides to have a crack at goal.
The effort is always curling away from goal and is of no danger to De Gea's goal.
Man Utd 1-2 Brighton
80. We are into the final ten minutes here at Old Trafford.
The game is finely poised with only one goal separating the sides.
United are trying to pass their way around the field currently.
Credit: Reuters Man Utd 1-2 Brighton
78. Bruno Fernandes is on the ground nursing the slightest of contacts from an opponent.
I do not recommend the player investing in his own airline as I for one would not feel comfortable aboard something associated to a footballer who tends to go down all too easily.
Not the image for any would-be airline for sure.
Man Utd 1-2 Brighton
76. Lamptey and Mwepu come on for the visitors.
It looks like we are going to have a rare sighting of Donny van de Beek on the pitch at Old Trafford.
He will be hoping for a lot more game time under his new Dutch manager, although the two were at Ajax together.
Man Utd 1-2 Brighton - Shaw yellow card
74. Luke Shaw is rather harshly booked for a foul.
The player was definitely trying to get the ball but tripped Welbeck.
While that was a foul for sure, the card seems harsh.
Man Utd 1-2 Brighton
72. This is one-way traffic right now.
United are desperate to find themselves an equaliser.
Dalot shoots from distance, Sanchez fumbles but Lallana clears.
Man Utd 1-2 Brighton
70. This should be a frenetic finish to this game with 20 minutes remaining.
United win another corner as the library turns into a cauldron of noise.
Big pressure on Graham Potter's side now.
Credit: Reuters Man Utd 1-2 Brighton
68. VAR is checking this one for handball.
The ball does seem to come off the arm of the United defender.
This is taking some time to get a decision but the goal is awarded.
We are all less clear about the rules of football since the introduction of VAR technology.
Game on here!
Goal - Diogo Dalot (Man Utd)
Man Utd 0-2 Brighton
66. Trossard and Maguire are having a real duel right now.
With both players on a yellow card this one could end badly for one of these two.
McTominay continues to walk that tightrope as he seemingly fouls Trossard but nothing giving from the referee.
Man Utd 0-2 Brighton
64. Sancho really has failed to deliver since his arrival here.
He looks a shadow of the player who graced a Dortmund top.
The ball is crossed to the back post where Rashford is unmarked but he hits his shot high wide and not so handsome.
Man Utd 0-2 Brighton
62. Brighton swing a corner in but Ronaldo heads it clear.
Not exactly what he was brought on to do but it is important that United do not concede another or this is game over.
The visitors are starting to see more possession again now.
Man Utd 0-2 Brighton - Rashford chance!
60. United seem to be over-elaborating in the final third.
One touch too many leading to attacks breaking down.
The ball is threaded through to Ronaldo out wide on the right and he crosses the ball Rashford who is unmarked in the middle.
What a save by Sanchez, making himself big to block the shot.
Credit: Getty Man Utd 0-2 Brighton
58. It is that time where Graham Potter will be considering solidifying the lead his side has.
They have never won a league match at Old Trafford.
What a huge chance this is for the south coast team.
Man Utd 0-2 Brighton
56. It is a wonder that football can get video technology so wrong.
In rugby and cricket it works so seamlessly.
The main problem seems to be the lunatics running the asylum in this instance however.
