EPL: Mitoma Stars as Brighton Defeat Manchester United 3-1

Brighton secured a stunning 3-1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford, marking their third consecutive victory over the Red Devils at the stadium.

Brighton secured a stunning 3-1 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford, achieving a historic feat in the process. This win marked the third consecutive time Brighton has defeated Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Premier League, a rare occurrence that has only happened twice before in the league's history.

Brighton began the match with a high level of intensity, posing a significant threat to Manchester United's defense from the outset. The visitors' efforts paid off in the fifth minute when Carlos Baleba's precise long pass found Kaoru Mitoma, who sprinted past the United defense and squared the ball to Yankuba Minteh for a straightforward finish, sending the traveling Brighton fans into jubilation.

Manchester United, however, demonstrated their ability to bounce back from adversity, having done so in their midweek match courtesy of Amad Diallo's heroics. The Red Devils equalized when Bart Verbruggen's misplaced pass led to Joshua Zirkzee being fouled by Carlos Baleba in the box. Bruno Fernandes, who had missed an earlier opportunity, calmly converted the ensuing penalty, slotting the ball home with his characteristic composure.

BIG win for @OfficialBHAFC 🔵⚪️

The Seagulls put on a show at Old Trafford to beat Man Utd!#MUNBHA pic.twitter.com/x39kjtuJDA

— Premier League (@premierleague) January 19, 2025

After a goalless first half, Brighton appeared to regain the lead early in the second half when Joao Pedro slotted home from close range amidst a chaotic scene in the box. However, the Seagulls' celebrations were short-lived, as a VAR review deemed Jan Paul van Hecke to have fouled Diogo Dalot in the build-up, prompting the referee to disallow the goal.

Undeterred by the setback, Brighton continued to press and eventually restored their lead on the hour mark through Kaoru Mitoma. The Japanese winger made history by becoming the top-scoring Japanese player in Premier League history, turning in Minteh's cross at the back post with determination.

The game was all but sealed 14 minutes from time, courtesy of a costly error from Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana. Onana palmed a stray cross into the path of Georginio Rutter, who simply passed the ball into the empty net. From there, Brighton comfortably saw out the remainder of the match to claim all three points.

Kaoru Mitoma makes history 👏 pic.twitter.com/FbD6atvQHz

— Premier League (@premierleague) January 19, 2025

The victory marked Brighton's second consecutive league win, propelling them to ninth in the standings and within reach of European qualification. In contrast, Manchester United's struggles continued, leaving them 13th in the table and just one point clear of the relegation zone.