Premier League: Last-gasp Mac Allister penalty sees Brighton beat Man United
Brighton & Hove Albion recorded a 1-0 win over Manchester United in Thursday’s Premier League contest at the Amex, with Alexis Mac Allister netting a stoppage-time penalty for the hosts.
Both sides had a number of opportunities during an open contest, but it did appear that the points would be shared, with the match still goalless heading into the final exchanges.
Brighton were awarded a penalty following a late Luke Shaw handball, though, and Mac Allister stepped up to score a 99th-minute winner for the Seagulls at the end of a pulsating contest.
The result has left fourth-placed Man United only four points clear of fifth-placed Liverpool in the table, still with a game in hand on the Reds, while Brighton have moved into sixth, four points behind Liverpool with two games in hand.
Man United captain Harry Maguire was again left out of the XI despite his recent return to fitness, with Shaw featuring alongside Victor Lindelof in the middle of the defence, but there were recalls for Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Fred, Antony and Anthony Martial following Sunday’s 1-0 win over Aston Villa.
Brighton’s team also showed four changes from the one that took to the field for the first whistle against Wolverhampton Wanderers, with Moises Caicedo, Mac Allister, Kaoru Mitoma and Facundo Buonanotte coming into the side following the 6-0 success last time out.
Antony had a huge chance to send Man United ahead in the second minute when he was released by Bruno Fernandes, but the Brazil international could only fire wide of Jason Steele’s post.
Brighton had a brilliant opportunity of their own in the fourth minute when a poor pass from Lindelof allowed Mitoma to burst into the penalty box, but the attacker decided against playing a simple pass into Julio Enciso and instead went for goal; David de Gea made the save, with the ball striking him in the face, which led to the goalkeeper requiring treatment on the field.
Fernandes was next to try his luck, with the Man United attacker firing a powerful effort over the crossbar in the 10th minute after smart work from both Marcus Rashford and Antony in a tight area.
Mitoma had another opportunity in the 13th minute, with the 25-year-old missing the post with a low strike, as both teams carved out good chances in the early stages of the contest.
De Gea had to keep out a header from Adam Webster in the 17th minute during a strong spell for Brighton, with Mitoma and Mac Allister starting to have a big influence on the match.
Brighton had a shout for a penalty in the 19th minute when Mitoma hit the ground inside the box under a challenge from Wan-Bissaka, but the referee was not interested and VAR agreed; Man United then went straight down the other end on the counter-attack, and Rashford had one deflected wide of the post for a corner, before Antony struck just wide of Steele’s post moments later.
Casemiro was next to come close, with the midfielder heading a Shaw cross just over in the 26th minute, with the score still goalless despite both teams having some excellent moments in an entertaining start.
Steele then made a brilliant save to keep out a near-post Rashford effort in the 28th minute, before the Brighton goalkeeper denied Antony from a well-worked corner routine.
Mac Allister had De Gea rooted to the spot with a long-range strike in the 34th minute, but the ball just drifted wide of the post, much to the relief of the Man United goalkeeper, before Enciso fired one wide of the other post in the 37th minute, with Brighton dangerous on the transition.
Martial had an excellent chance to open the scoring in the 39th minute when he broke into the Brighton box after a clever exchange with Fred, but the forward’s strike was straight at the home side’s goalkeeper.
Buonanotte then curled one just wide of the target down the other end in what proved to be the final chance of a lively first period, with the two teams entering the half-time break all square.
Wan-Bissaka blocked a powerful strike from Enciso, which would have caused De Gea problems, in the 51st minute, with Brighton on the front foot at the start of the second half.
Mitoma again tried his luck in the 55th minute following a mistake from Diogo Dalot, but the attacker’s effort was wide of the near post; the pressure from the hosts continued, with Caicedo having a goal-bound shot blocked, and Man United were finding it difficult to stem the flow of pressure.
Wan-Bissaka again did well to force Mitoma wide just before the hour, with the attack only managing to poke one towards De Gea, who comfortably made the save to keep the score level; Mitoma did manage to pick out Danny Welbeck from the next attack, but the former Man United youngster fired wide.
Casemiro was a touch fortunate to escape another yellow for a challenge on Mac Allister in the 66th minute, with Brighton still pressing for the opening goal in front of their own supporters, and the hosts had a penalty shout when Mitoma went down in the 67th minute, but the protests were waved away.
Steele made a smart save to keep out a powerful Fernandes drive in the 68th minute, before tempers boiled over when Antony kicked out at Mac Allister, leading to the Brazilian picking up a yellow card.
Casemiro fired one just over the Brighton crossbar in the 74th minute during a lively period of the match, with the Man United midfielder living on the edge as he continued to dive into challenges.
Enciso again struck wide of the Man United post in the 75th minute, before both managers made alterations, with Jadon Sancho and Marcel Sabitzer entering for the visitors.
Deniz Undav had another strike blocked wide of the goal in the 83rd minute, before Wan-Bissaka again did well to block an effort from Mitoma, with Brighton forcing the issue in the final exchanges.
Solly March was next to come close, striking just wide of De Gea’s post in the 86th minute, with the Seagulls threatening on the counter-attack; De Gea then made a brilliant save to push a low Mac Allister effort wide of the post, before Webster headed over from the resulting corner.
Brighton continued to force the issue, with De Gea also saving from Pervis Estupinan and Caicedo in stoppage time, and Fernandes blocking a goal-bound effort from Mitoma.
There was late drama, though, with Brighton being awarded a penalty for a Shaw handball, and Mac Allister stepped up to secure all three points for the hosts in the 99th minute.
Next up for Man United is a trip to West Ham United on Sunday evening, while Brighton will return to action at home to relegation-threatened Everton on Monday.
