In a stunning turn of events, Manchester United's hopes of a trophy-laden season were dashed as they fell to Brighton in the FA Cup third round on January 12, 2026. This defeat marked a disappointing end to a whirlwind week for the Red Devils, who began with the sacking of manager Ruben Amorim. Despite a warm welcome for interim manager Darren Fletcher, United's season took a turn for the worse as they failed to reach the fourth round for the first time in 12 years. But here's where it gets controversial... Brighton, who had been eliminated by United in their previous six FA Cup encounters, finally broke the hoodoo with a 2-1 win at Old Trafford. And this is the part most people miss... The match was a tale of two halves, with United starting strong thanks to the heroics of goalkeeper Jason Steele, who denied Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes in the early stages. However, Brighton took the lead in the 12th minute through Danny Welbeck, who scored against his former club, and Brajan Gruda, who reacted quickest to lash home after a header from Georginio Rutter. United should have defended better, but goalkeeper Senne Lammens nearly made matters worse when he saw a slack pass cut out by Welbeck, only to save the veteran's shot and see offside Rutter fluff the follow-up. The Red Devils offered little by way of response as the atmosphere became flat at Old Trafford, with an unorthodox Fernandes free-kick and Cunha effort providing the only hope for the home fans before the break. Despite Fletcher's efforts to gee up the crowd, the second half was disappointingly slow, with teenage substitute Shea Lacey and Joshua Zirkzee introduced in a bid to change the dynamics. But just moments later, Brighton extended their lead through Welbeck, who received a pass from Gruda and easily took a touch before slamming a shot into the top left-hand corner. United huffed and puffed but a late leveller evaded them, with 18-year-old Lacey receiving two quick yellows in succession -- the second for dissent -- as a bad day got worse late on. So, what do you think? Do you agree with the outcome? Or do you think United should have defended better? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
