Manchester United slump to defeat at home to Brighton

Brighton recorded their third straight Premier League away win at Manchester United as second-half goals from Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter secured three points on a day of tributes to Denis Law at Old Trafford.

Rutter capitalised on a dismal error from United goalkeeper Andre Onana to seal it in the 76th minute after Mitoma had poked home from close range on the hour, securing a deserved win for the industrious Brighton.

Bruno Fernandes's 23rd-minute penalty cancelled out an early opener from Yankuba Minteh but Ruben Amorim’s inconsistent United side remain without back-to-back Premier League wins all season, and Brighton are becoming a bogey team, having now won six of their last seven league matches against United.

After ending a run of eight games without a win by beating Ipswich 2-0 on Thursday, the win lifts Brighton up to ninth in the table, but this poor United side remain stuck in 13th, having won just one of their last six league games.

Before the match, United paid tribute to Law, the 'King of the Stretford End’ who died on Friday at the age of 84. The last of the United Trinity, which also included Bobby Charlton and George Best, Law is third on United’s list of top goalscorers with 237 in 404 appearances for the club.

The teams were led on to the Old Trafford pitch by a bagpiper playing Flower of Scotland before Alex Ferguson, accompanied by Brian Kidd, Paddy Crerand and Alex Stepney, laid a wreath, followed by a poetic tribute and a minute’s applause.

But Ferguson and the others had barely reached their seats before Brighton took the lead less than five minutes in. It was all too easy as Carlos Baleba floated a ball over to put Mitoma through on goal, and the Japan forward selflessly squared for Minteh to