Brighton & Hove Albion produced a stunning comeback to beat Manchester United 3-2 in the Carabao Cup third round at Old Trafford on Wednesday. The Seagulls fought back from two goals down to secure their fifth win in their last six visits to the stadium.
Fabian Hürzeler, the Brighton manager, made six changes to the side that had thrashed Coventry City 5-0 the previous Sunday. His reshuffled team found themselves trailing early after goals from Shea Lacey and Mason Mount inside the opening ten minutes. The 19-year-old Lacey opened the scoring in the eighth minute, with Mount adding a second just two minutes later.
Charalampos Kostoulas pulled one back for Brighton in first-half stoppage time, converting a cross from Jaouen Hadjam. Pascal Groß then levelled the score in the 65th minute, assisted by Luka Vuskovic, before Maxim De Cuyper completed the turnaround just four minutes later.
"I definitely believed and belief was a big word in the preparation for us," Fabian Hürzeler said. "When you go to a place like here, you need to have belief and then to show it when you are 2-0 down shows real character."
The result marked a historic low for Manchester United, who lost at home after leading by two goals for the first time in 50 years. It was also their first defeat at Old Trafford after being ahead at halftime since May 1984. Michael Carrick, the United manager, has now overseen four consecutive domestic cup defeats.
"I totally understand the feelings of the supporters," Michael Carrick said. "We have to accept it. I totally accept it. It's on me ultimately."
The victory extends Brighton's remarkable recent form at the home of their Premier League rivals. They also won an FA Cup tie there in January. The club is preparing to mark its 125th anniversary this season.
Brighton now sit fifth in the Premier League with seven points from four matches. They have scored 13 goals while conceding only five, giving them a healthy goal difference of plus eight. The next challenge is a league encounter with leaders Arsenal at the Amex Stadium on Saturday.
The win over United was Brighton's third in their last five games across all competitions. Their recent results include a 5-0 away win at Coventry and a 1-1 draw with Leeds United. Malick Yalcouyé is the team's top scorer this season with two goals from four appearances. For more on the squad's performance, visit our stats section.
Manchester United, meanwhile, have won just two of their six games this season and have only four points from four league matches. Their next fixture is a trip to face Fulham, who are yet to win in the league this season but earned a draw at Liverpool in their last outing. Brighton's focus now shifts to a demanding run of fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur, Atlético Madrid in Europe, and Leeds United after the upcoming international break.
The report in full is at ESPN Soccer
