Bryan Mbeumo scored twice as Manchester United survived a late scare against Brighton to claim a third successive Premier League win for the first time since February 2024, moving them up to fourth in the table.
United were cruising after an hour thanks to goals from Matheus Cunha, who broke his 16-match scoring drought by netting for the first time for his new club, Casemiro’s deflected effort and Mbeumo’s neat finish.
But Danny Welbeck’s brilliant free-kick pulled one back against his old club with 16 minutes left. Then, two minutes into the seven added, Charalampos Kostoulas flicked home a near-post header.
Suddenly there were some worried faces in the United ranks and it took an even later effort from Mbeumo, drilled into the roof of the net from 12 yards, to ease the tension.
They may only stay there for a matter of hours but United suddenly find themselves in a much better state than three weeks ago, when it was felt by many a home defeat by Sunderland would have left head coach Ruben Amorim clinging to his job.
Now there is a hint of swagger about Amorim’s team, who should have won by more and certainly with no need for the worries at the end.
Cunha’s first goal for club or country since April was superb, taking Casemiro’s short pass on the edge of the area before curling an inch-perfect low shot into the bottom corner.
Casemiro benefitted from a huge slice of luck for the second when his shot, which might have been off target, struck Yasin Ayari on the back, completely wrong-footing Bart Verbruggen as it flew into the opposite corner.
Verbruggen denied Benjamin Sesko and Bruno Fernandes, who was making his 300th United appearance, before Mbeumo followed his goal at Liverpool by driving home his third of the season after an hour.
Welbeck’s brilliant free-kick followed a Patrick Dorgu foul on Yankuba Minteh the Brighton bench were adamant should have resulted in a red card.
Referee Anthony Taylor gave a yellow, video assistant referee (VAR) Michael Oliver agreed. Who knows what would have happened if he hadn’t.
As it turned out, Brighton scored again anyway. But so did United, who took the points – again.
