Bryan Mbeumo struck twice as Manchester United held off a late Brighton fightback to secure a third consecutive Premier League victory — their first such run since February 2024 — moving up to fourth place in the table.
United appeared to be in complete control after an hour, with Matheus Cunha ending a 16-match goal drought to open his account for the club, Casemiro’s deflected effort doubling the lead, and Mbeumo adding a composed finish for the third.
However, Brighton refused to go quietly. Danny Welbeck curled in a superb free-kick against his former side with 16 minutes remaining, and in stoppage time, Charalampos Kostoulas glanced in a near-post header to make it 3–2, setting up a nervy finish for the hosts.
Just when tension began to rise, Mbeumo restored calm with his second of the night — a fierce strike into the roof of the net from close range — sealing the win deep into added time.
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The result lifts the mood at Old Trafford, a stark contrast to three weeks ago when a home defeat to Sunderland might have placed manager Ruben Amorim’s position under serious scrutiny. Now, there’s a growing confidence about his side, who could have wrapped up the game long before Brighton’s late surge.
Cunha’s opener — his first goal for club or country since April — was a moment of quality, taking Casemiro’s short pass before bending a precise low shot beyond Bart Verbruggen. Casemiro then had fortune on his side when his strike deflected off Yasin Ayari to leave the Brighton goalkeeper stranded.
Verbruggen later denied Benjamin Šeško and Bruno Fernandes — making his 300th United appearance — but he was powerless to stop Mbeumo from adding a third just after the hour mark.
Brighton’s bench were furious that Patrick Dorgu escaped with only a yellow card for a foul on Yankuba Minteh in the build-up to Welbeck’s goal, but even after their late rally, United ultimately finished on top — and took all three points once again.
