Pascal Gross brace helps Brighton secure first-ever win at Manchester United
Pascal Gross scored twice to help Brighton & Hove Albion secure a 2-1 victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford in their opening Premier League game of the new season.
The 31-year-old found the net twice in nine minutes during an impressive first half for the Seagulls, and although an Alexis Mac Allister own goal gave the Red Devils a lifeline midway through the second half, Graham Potter’s side held on for their first-ever win at Old Trafford at the 15th time of asking.
Gross has now scored six times against Man United, twice as many as he has netted against any other opponent in his career. Incredibly, the German has also scored more goals at Old Trafford than Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho (both one) since the start of last season.
While Brighton lined up without key duo Yves Bissouma and Marc Cucurella, who both secured big-money moves over the summer, United handed debuts to Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez, although Cristiano Ronaldo had to settle for a place on the substitutes’ bench, supposedly due to a lack of fitness
Despite boating only 38% possession, Brighton performed well in the first half and had plenty of joy in the final third, registering 12 shots on goal and having 18 touches in the opposition’s penalty area. In stark contrast, Erik ten Hag’s men had only four strikes on goal and just three touches in the Seagulls’ box.
The deadlock was broken on the half-hour mark when Brighton’s Leandro Trossard released former Man United striker Danny Welbeck down the left flank before he squared the ball across to Gross for a close-range tap in.
Just nine minutes later, Gross added a second after a delighted counter-attacking move from the Seagulls resulted in the German playmaker slotting the ball past David de Gea at the far post.
With United lacking a focal point in attack throughout the first half, Ten Hag turned to Ronaldo seven minutes after the break, and the 37-year-old replaced Fred which allowed Eriksen – who had been operating as a false nine – to drop into a more natural midfield role.
The Red Devils made a lively start to the second half but it was Brighton who had the first attempt with Welbeck heading over the crossbar at the near post. Juts moments later, Rashford then fired a powerful strike into the side netting at the other end.
Centre-back Martinez had a couple of nervy moments in possession on his debut at Old Trafford, and he was fortunate to not give away a penalty in the 54th minute after barging Welbeck over inside the area. VAR had a look at the incident but surprisingly opted against awarding a spot kick for the visitors.
It did not take long for Ronaldo to get into the game, and on the hour mark he teed up Rashford for a glorious chance inside the area, but Robert Sanchez made a crucial save to deny the Englishman a certain goal.
Brighton were comfortable in possession, spraying the ball around to the delight of the travelling Seagulls supporters, but United were handed a lifeline in the 68th-minute as they pulled a goal back in somewhat fortunate circumstances.
An in-swinging Eriksen corner ricocheted off Diogo Dalot before Sanchez could only swipe the ball onto the foot of Mac Allister with the ball bouncing over the line.
United’s goal galvanised the Old Trafford faithful and Ten Hag’s men piled on the pressure in the closing stages, with powerful strikes from Ronaldo and Martinez bravely blocked by defenders Adam Webster and Lewis Dunk respectively.
However, Brighton saw out the game brilliantly in stoppage time, retaining possession well and frustrating the hosts, who were eventually condemned to a disappointing defeat in Ten Hag’s first Premier League game of the new season.
The Seagulls will now turn their focus to next weekend’s league fixture at home to Newcastle United, while the Red Devils will look to bounce back with a victory in their first away game of the new campaign against Brentford.
