Manchester United’s hunt for silverware in the 2025-26 season is effectively over before the second week of January. A ruthless Brighton & Hove Albion took full advantage of a fragile United defence on Sunday, securing a 2-1 victory at Old Trafford to dump the hosts out of the FA Cup third round.
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The defeat marks a historic low for the club. For the first time since the 1981-82 season, Manchester United have been eliminated from both the FA Cup and the League Cup at the first opportunity. By the end of May, United will have played just 40 competitive games; their lowest total in a single campaign since 1914-15.
The afternoon began with a familiar lack of cohesion from the home side. Despite early chances for Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes, Brighton seized control in the 12th minute. A cross from former United striker Danny Welbeck found Georginio Rutter, whose header was cleared off the line by Lisandro Martínez, only for Brajan Gruda to lash home the rebound.
United’s interim manager, Darren Fletcher, watched from the touchline as his side struggled to find a rhythm. The lead was doubled in the 65th minute when Welbeck was allowed far too much space on the edge of the area. The veteran forward, scoring his eighth career goal against his former employers, rifled a shot into the top corner, leaving goalkeeper Senne Lammens with no chance.
The Stretford End found its voice in the final ten minutes when Benjamin Sesko steered home a header from a Fernandes corner in the 85th minute. It was Sesko's third goal in two games, offering a rare spark of optimism on an otherwise dismal day.
However, the momentum shifted back to Brighton in stoppage time. 18-year-old substitute Shea Lacey, making his highly anticipated Old Trafford debut, was sent off after receiving two yellow cards in quick succession; the second for dissent after bouncing the ball down in frustration. The teenager left the pitch in tears, a microcosm of United’s unraveling season.
This defeat likely marks the end of Fletcher’s short-lived interim tenure, having recorded one draw and one loss. Reports suggest the club will appoint a second interim manager within the next 48 hours to see out the season, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick currently the frontrunners.
"The players are fragile and they need to build themselves up," Fletcher told TNT Sports after the match. "Confidence is one of the most powerful things in football, and when you don't have it, you have to dig deep and fight."
The atmosphere inside the stadium turned sour as the final whistle blew. Banners criticizing Sir Jim Ratcliffe were visible, while chants for the removal of the Glazer family echoed through the stands. United currently sit seventh in the Premier League, three points off a Champions League berth, which now remains their only path to salvaging the season.
