Brighton score late penalty to beat Man Utd

Manchester United's Champions League hopes suffered a setback as Brighton scored a dramatic 99th-minute penalty winner to keep their own European ambitions on track.

Alexis Mac Allister converted deep into injury time to settle a Premier League thriller at Amex Stadium.

United - in the fourth and final Champions League qualification spot - stay four points ahead of fifth-placed Liverpool, but now have only one game in hand.

And Brighton deserved this victory for a relentless approach that finally gave them the breakthrough seconds from the end after Luke Shaw handled, the penalty awarded after a video assistant referee review.

Brighton, in sixth, are now only four points adrift of Liverpool, who have played two games more, and their celebrations at the final whistle contrasted sharply with the desolation of their defeat by United on penalties in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley less than two weeks ago.

Both sides had chances in a superb game, with Antony shooting wide for United in the opening seconds while both Marcus Rashford and Antony Martial forced Brighton keeper Jason Steele into important saves.

Brighton, fresh from the 6-0 thrashing of Wolves, played with the verve that has become their trademark. Kaoru Mitoma shot straight at David de Gea when clean through, and missed another good chance after the break, while Danny Welbeck was also off target with another presentable opening.

The Seagulls turned up the pressure in stoppage time, De Gea saving superbly from Mac Allister and Pervis Etupinan before they finally made the breakthrough.

Superb Brighton aim for Europe

Brighton's thrilling attacking style under manager Roberto de Zerbi has got their fans dreaming of European football next season and the scenes of celebration at the final whistle reflected the belief and optimism surging through the club.

On this evidence, if Brighton do reach Europe, they will be a wonderfully entertaining addition.

They showed they have recovered from losing to United at Wembley by refusing to take a backward step, hunting down their tiring opponents in the game's later stages.

Brighton play with a pace and intensity that is pure theatre at times and in the end it just proved too much for United, although this game was settled on the fine margin of that late penalty.

Argentina World Cup winner Mac Allister ignored the noise and pressure to beat De Gea convincingly and send the Brighton fans wild. How they enjoyed De Zerbi leading his triumphant players on a lap of honour at the final whistle.

For all Brighton's excellence, they still relied heavily on goalkeeper Steele, who was outstanding when called upon.

Brighton have struggling Everton at home next and in this mood and form, will feel capable of beating anyone.

Man Utd away day blues continue

Manchester United are still in a good position to qualify for the Champions League by finishing in the top four but there is no doubt an indifferent away record is putting them under pressure.

This defeat was their seventh in 17 games, winning seven and drawing three, and for all they made Steele work, the traffic flowed nearly all one way towards their goal as the clock ticked down.

Shaw looked a very guilty man as Brighton manager De Zerbi and his entire backroom staff demanded a penalty in the closing seconds, the inevitable confirmed after VAR invited referee Andre Marriner to visit the screen.

United had their chances but found Steele in top form, their problems coming as they appeared to run out of steam in the second half.

Martial missed one of those opportunities but otherwise gave a lifeless, lacklustre performance and it was no surprise when he was eventually substituted.

United now travel to West Ham United on Sunday and will know their margin for error has been reduced by this defeat.

Player of the match

GilmourBilly Gilmour

Brighton & Hove Albion

Squad number27Player nameGilmour

Squad number10Player nameMac Allister

Squad number23Player nameSteele

Squad number5Player nameDunk

Squad number25Player nameCaicedo

Squad number30Player nameEstupiñán

Squad number7Player nameMarch

Squad number20Player nameEnciso

Squad number4Player nameWebster

Squad number22Player nameMitoma

Squad number40Player nameBuonanotte

Squad number21Player nameUndav

Squad number18Player nameWelbeck

Squad number6Player nameColwill

Line-ups

Brighton

Formation 4-2-3-1

23Steele

25Caicedo4Webster5Dunk30Estupiñán

27Gilmour10Mac Allister

40Buonanotte20Enciso22Mitoma

18Welbeck

Substitutes

Man Utd

Formation 4-3-3

1de Gea

29Wan-Bissaka2Lindelöf23Shaw20Dalot

17Fred18Casemiro8Bruno Fernandes

21Antony9Martial10Rashford

Substitutes

Live Text

Match ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Manchester United 0.

Second Half ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Manchester United 0.

Goal! Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Manchester United 0. Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton and Hove Albion) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the top left corner.

VAR Decision: Penalty Brighton and Hove Albion.

Penalty conceded by Luke Shaw (Manchester United) with a hand ball in the penalty area.

Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Wout Weghorst.

Luke Shaw (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Julio Enciso (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Foul by Luke Shaw (Manchester United).

Attempt saved. Pervis Estupiñán (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Solly March.

Attempt missed. Adam Webster (Brighton and Hove Albion) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Solly March with a cross following a corner.

Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by David de Gea.

Attempt saved. Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Solly March.

Foul by Julio Enciso (Brighton and Hove Albion).

Luke Shaw (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Lewis Dunk (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Wout Weghorst (Manchester United).

Moisés Caicedo (Brighton and Hove Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Attempt missed. Solly March (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Levi Colwill following a fast break.

Attempt blocked. Marcel Sabitzer (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Casemiro.

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