BrBrighton & Hove Albion midfielder Alexis MacAllister scored from the penalty spot late into stoppage time to give his team a 1-0 victory against Manchester United in a tense Premier League battle on Thursday.
Erik ten Hag’s team now sit in fourth position on 63 points, four points clear of fifth-placed Liverpool but with a game in hand, while Brighton move up to sixth on 55 points.
Brighton gained some vengeance after losing on penalties to Manchester United in their FA Cup semi-final 11 days earlier.
The hosts controlled possession and should have taken the lead as early as the fourth minute when Japanese winger Kaoru Mitoma intercepted a bad pass from Victor Lindelof, but his shot was blocked by David De Gea.
Mitoma was a menace throughout, generating numerous opportunities for himself before setting up Danny Welbeck, who fired high and wide from the outside of the box early in the second half as United battled to get the ball out of defence.
United midfielder Casemiro was fortunate not to get a second yellow card after being booked in the first half when he chopped down MacAllister on the outside of the box in the second half.
In the 68th minute, United winger Antony, enraged at not being granted a free kick, was punished for a foul on MacAllister before collapsing with Lewis Dunk, earning both players yellow cards.
Brighton pressed on in search of a winner, with replacement Solly March and MacAllister both requiring excellent stops from De Gea as the clock approached 90 minutes.
United seemed to be heading for a draw until late in the game when Luke Shaw was deemed to have touched the ball in the area following a VAR review, and MacAllister slammed home the spot penalty nine minutes into stoppage time to clinch the victory.
“Really happy and delighted with the performance and result,” said Brighton coach Roberto de Zerbi, according to Sky Sports. “There is a God of football; we deserved to win the (FA Cup) semi-final but lost on penalties, but we won today with a penalty.”
United defender Shaw accepted responsibility for his gaffe, calling it a “silly error that cost us a point,” but said his team was still on track to qualify for the Champions League next season.
“Teams around us are picking up points, (but) we still have a game in hand and it is in our hands,” he said to Sky Sports.
