Manchester United 4-2 Brighton: United into Top Four after Six Goal Thriller
Manchester United 4-2 Brighton Cunha (24′) Casemiro (34′) Mbeumo (61′, 90+6′) Welbeck (74′) Kostoulas (90+2′) A second-half double by Bryan Mbuemo helped Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United record their third straight league victory. The home side started well, Bruno Fernandes met Mbuemo’s floated left-footed cross, but the captain could not direct his header goalwards in the opening minute. Mbuemo threaded a pass to the onrushing Matheus Cunha minutes later, but the striker could only find the side netting. Brighton responded in the 7th minute. Danny Welbeck drove into space on the United right and fired a low cross to Yankuba Minteh, but the attacker couldn’t make a connection. Carlos Baleba dragged a right-footed shot wide in the 9th minute after more Brighton pressure, as the visiting side gained a foothold in proceedings. Senne Lammens was forced into his first save in the 14th minute. Georginio Rutter marauded down United’s right, and pulled his cross back for Welbeck to sting the palms of the Belgian goalkeeper. Cunha is still searching for his first Manchester United goal since transferring from Wolves in the summer, but went close with a dipping strike which Bart Verbruggen pushed away. He deservedly opened his United account in the 23rd minute with a superb finish. The Brazilian attacker gathered Casemiro’s square pass, he shifted the ball onto his right foot and curled a low strike past the outstretched Verbruggen. Casemiro doubled their lead from outside the box in the 34th minute. His strike took a wicked deflection off Yasin Ayari, and Verbruggen could only watch as the ball rolled into the net. Benjamin Sesko blazed wide in the 44th minute after a flowing team move. Amorim would have been pleased with his team’s performance; they were firmly in control as the halftime whistle blew. The home side picked up where they left off in the second half. Verbruggen’s point-blank save from Fernandes’ poked effort kept Brighton from conceding a third. Despite being behind, Brighton occasionally offered a threat. Lammens had to be alert to tip Minteh’s inswinging cross round the post as the Seagulls looked for a response. Mbuemo added a third goal on the hour mark, cutting in on his left foot and delivering a low strike into the bottom corner. Amorim’s team looked set to record their third straight league victory. A common theme of the match was that Brighton consistently gifted possession back to their opponents. Lewis Dunk was the latest culprit in the 70th minute, as Fernandes crossed for Mbuemo, who steered wide of the post. Former Manchester United striker Welbeck curled a free kick past Lammens to offer some encouragement for Albion. The goal briefly invigorated the visitors, and Tom Watson went close moments later with a left-footed drive. Brighton did find a second goal in the 92nd minute, Charalampos Kostoulas rose to meet James Milner’s cross, and set up an agonising finish for the home support. Mbuemo added United’s fourth in the final seconds with a high strike into the top corner. Victory moves United into the top four and confirms their third straight league win. Manchester United: Lammens 7 Yoro 6 De Ligt 7 Shaw 6 Dalot 7 Diallo 7 Casemiro 7 Fernandes 8 Cunha 8 Mbuemo 8 Sesko 7 Substitutes: Mainoo 6 Dorgu 6 Ugarte 6 Zirkzee 6 Brighton: Verbruggen 6 Wieffer 6 Van Hecke 6 Dunk 6 Kadioglu 7 Baleba 6 Ayari 6 Minteh 7 De Cuyper 5 Rutter 5 Welbeck 7 Substitutes: Watson 6 Milner 6 Gómez 6 Kostoulas 6 Tzimas 5
Livingston 1-2 Motherwell: Visitors Move Into Top Six after Late Win
Livingston 1-2 Motherwell Bokila (26′ pen) Stamatelopoulos (59′ pen) Just (90+3′) Motherwell leave it late to sting Livi and send the away end into an eruption. Livingston should’ve been ahead after 8 minutes. Bokila took way too long on the ball, taking numerous touches, and when it was unleashed, it was a simple stop by Ward, which landed at Stevie May, but the striker failed to get the hosts ahead. After 12 minutes, a short ball from Said onto the foot of Maswanhise, but a heavy touch by the winger made it a simple catch by the Frenchman in the goals. After 19 minutes, Mo Sylla had a good run into the visitors’ half where he slid the ball onto Stevie May with whose effort struck wide of the goal. Livingston, after 25 minutes, were awarded a spot kick as Bokila smashed home to give Livingston the lead. Livi should’ve been two ahead after 30. Sylla won the ball and put it through to Muirhead. A darting run from the striker into May, whose shot was saved well by Ward, with Muirhead’s rebounded effort going over. Livi go into the break one goal to the good. Motherwell didn’t really test Prior in the Livi goals and probably deserved a lead by the hosts, but an even enough opening 45. On the hour mark, Motherwell were awarded a spot kick of their own with Stamatelopoulos making no mistake and giving the visitors a crucial equaliser. Motherwell quickly went on to score a second to go ahead, a run by Watt which found Stamatelopoulos, but after a VAR check, the decision was offside, which kept the game all square. Livingston had a big chance in 70 minutes, Sylla with a ball into the edge of the box, which found Pittman, who slotted it into the box, but the ball fired past substitute Yengi, which ensured the game remained level. Livi then had a fantastic chance to go back ahead. A ball into the box with Sylla, who headed the ball into Yengi, who was just yards out, but failing to control the ball as Ward is down to collect the ball. Motherwell on 77 minutes should’ve been ahead this time. It was Stamatelopoulos from close range, but he smashed the ball over the bar, which should’ve at least found the target. An event last stage of the game in Livingston. Charles-Cook was close to firing the well ahead, a cross in by Fadinger and the substitute with an overhead kick but missing the target. The steelmen thought they had won it right at the death, a tap-in by Just, but VAR ruled it out for offside. Just came up with another, a strike from distance which fired into the top left-hand corner as the whistle goes and Motherwell leave with a win Livingston: Prior 6 Pittman 6 Muirhead 6 May 7 Bokila 8 Finlayson 6 Sylla 8 Tait 6 Montano 6 Wilson 6 Brenet 6. Substitutes: Susoho 6 Smith 6 Yengi 5 Motherwell: Ward 6 O’Donnell 7 Gordon 6 Welsh 7 Longelo 7 Watt 7 Fadinger 7 Said 7 Just 8 Maswanhise 6 Stamatelopoulos 8 Substitutes: McGinn 7 Koutroumbis 6 Slattery 8 Charles-Cook 6 Hendry 6.
