Manchester United Build Momentum As Bryan Mbeumo Double Sinks Brighton

A Ruben Amorim pirouette and revolving fist-pump greeted Bryan Mbeumo putting Manchester United 3-0 up and told nan communicative of really precious this 3rd consecutive convention triumph was.

But nan extremity came connected 61 minutes and still United recovered themselves clinging connected astatine 3-2 heavy into added clip earlier Mbeumo smashed location his second, aft nan Cameroonian ran connected to Kobbie Mainoo’s walk from nan centre circle. Almost instantly Anthony Taylor blew for clip and “Glory, glory Man United” was blared from nan PA.

So Brighton, winners of nan 3 of nan past 4 meetings, centrifugal backmost to nan southbound seashore defeated and Amorim’s portion are initially up to fourth, down Manchester City connected extremity difference.

The Portuguese will not beryllium happy astatine nan precocious near-capitulation but tin beryllium contented pinch really Mbuemo’s first onslaught was nan 2nd goalscoring triumph of his maneuver of having Luke Shaw move up from near centre-back to harry Georginio Rutter. In nan buildup Shaw surely fouled nan No 10, but nan video adjunct referee was not beryllium interested, and frankincense United took complaint and put Mbeumo successful via a tiny Benjamin Sesko pass. The Cameroonian’s 20-yard decorativeness went done Lewis Dunk’s legs and hit Bart Verbruggen to nan goalkeeper’s near, near side.

Cut to nan caput coach’s ceremony and verses of “Ruben Amorim, Ruben Amorim” from nan ecstatic location fans, who heralded astatine nan close, too, a 3rd consecutive Premier League triumph successful nan aforesaid play for a first clip since February 2024.

Danny Welbeck (left) watches his free-kick clear nan Manchester United wall for Brighton’s first goal. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images

Yet this was confirmed only aft Patrick Dorgu’s pulling down of Yankuba Minteh precipitated United conceding twice. First, nan wing-back saw Danny Welbeck blaze a free-kick beyond Senne Lammens, nan United goalkeeper surely unhappy not to prevention arsenic nan shot went astatine him alternatively than to a corner. Then, successful added clip James Milner’s area from nan correct caught United slumbering and nan unmarked Charalampos Kostoulas headed in.

In each this were signs of nan activity successful advancement United are, but it vanished arsenic a bully day’s activity that began pinch 2 punishment shouts being turned down by Taylor. An Amad Diallo jink past Maxim De Cuyper caused nan left-back to clip him but nan referee was not willing – to location ire. Further fury followed erstwhile Dunk seemed to drawback Mbeumo successful nan area, but again Taylor said no.

Amorim said of cognition being cardinal and his men kept connected and sewage nan reward of nan opener. The shot dropped to Bruno Fernandes, whose instant no-look walk to Casemiro was a infinitesimal to grace a 300th United appearance. The Brazilian tapped nan shot near to Matheus Cunha and a touch to tee it up was followed by a superb driving decorativeness that skimmed past a flailing Verbruggen’s fingertips into nan bottommost near corner.

This was nan £62.5m summertime signing’s first goal, successful his 10th appearance. If “about time” is simply a adjacent telephone connected nan strike’s arrival, United’s delight soon doubled arsenic Amorim’s deployment of Shaw arsenic a cardinal area pickpocket deed nan first jackpot.

Amad Diallo hitches a thrust connected Casemiro aft nan second scored Manchester United’s 2nd goal. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

A Jan Paul van Hecke walk aimed for Rutter was nicked from him by Shaw. Casemiro took purpose from 25-yards aliases so, nan shot deflected disconnected Yasin Ayari, near Verbruggen stranded, and successful rolled United’s second.

Amorim’s men cruised and it should person been moreover amended by nan break’s arrival. Slick interplay involving Fernandes put Sesko successful but, yards out, a chaotic portion from nan No 9 missed nan target.

As did Rutter, astatine nan different end, though he whitethorn person been wounded moments before, impeding his movement. There was, though, zero excuse for nan amateurish effort Carlos Baleba ballooned complete arsenic nan 2nd half began – hardly a premier advert for a subordinate wanted by United successful nan past window.

Seconds later, Fernandes showed Baleba really it should beryllium done. Cunha recovered Diallo heavy successful Brighton’s area, he picked his skipper out, and Fernandes’s pile-driver stung Verbruggen erstwhile he repelled it. The keeper saved again erstwhile Sesko’s radar located nan extremity but nan effort went consecutive astatine him.

Lammens had to beryllium acold much alert erstwhile a curving Minteh transverse missed everyone and was sneaking into nan correct area before, quicksilver-like, nan keeper tipped it out.

So this closed arsenic United’s only location outing successful 50 days, starting pinch the triumph complete Sunderland connected 4 October: a good measurement to motion off.