Joao Pedro 95th-minute goal helps Brighton defeat Man Utd

Joao Pedro scored a dramatic 95th-minute header to secure a victory for Brighton, maintaining their perfect start to the season at the expense of Manchester United.

United initially thought they had taken the lead when Alejandro Garnacho turned in Bruno Fernandes’ low cross with 18 minutes left. However, a VAR review ruled the goal out for offside, as the ball had grazed fellow substitute Joshua Zirkzee just before crossing the line.

Pedro then capitalized on the opportunity to snatch the win for Brighton, converting Simon Adingra’s cross at the far post. This gave Fabian Hurzeler a dream debut as Brighton manager.

Earlier, former United striker Danny Welbeck opened the scoring for Brighton in the first half with his fifth Premier League goal against his former club. He came close to doubling the lead in the second half, hitting the crossbar with a header as Brighton continued to press.

United briefly found their rhythm after Amad Diallo equalized on the hour mark, but their best chances afterward were long-range efforts from Scott McTominay and Casemiro, neither of which hit the target. Garnacho’s disallowed goal further deflated their efforts.

The final whistle sparked celebrations among Brighton fans, with Hurzeler, who had faced skepticism due to his young age of just 31, visibly thrilled. Billy Gilmour, linked with a move to Napoli, was named man of the match, earning cheers from the home crowd, who made it clear they want the Scot to stay.

Every time Brighton changes managers, there seems to be a belief that it will trigger their downfall.

Critics were wrong when Graham Potter succeeded Chris Hughton, mistaken when Roberto De Zerbi took over after Potter moved to Chelsea, and skeptical again when De Zerbi left and Fabian Hurzeler stepped in.

Yet, the Brighton model consistently proves resilient.

While it’s far too soon to judge Hurzeler, his start couldn’t have been better, especially after thrashing Everton on the opening day.

Luck played a part in this win, as Joshua Zirkzee only interfered with Garnacho’s goal attempt because he couldn’t stop his slide after missing Bruno Fernandes’ cross.

However, there were plenty of positives for Brighton. With Georginio Rutter and Denmark midfielder Matt O’Reilly, expected to complete a £25m move from Celtic, still to fully integrate, there’s a lot of potential for growth.

Danny Welbeck remains a vital asset. The 33-year-old, who signed a new contract in May that keeps him at Brighton until 2026, continues to be a potent threat, with the speed and physicality to challenge most defenses.

Welbeck seems to relish playing against his boyhood club, given how often he scores against them.

His latest goal was partly due to Harry Maguire’s decision not to risk turning a low cross into his own net, which allowed Kaoru Mitoma to retrieve the ball at the far post and deliver a return pass, setting up Welbeck for an easy tap-in.

In January, Amad Diallo will mark his fourth year as a Manchester United player, raising the question of whether the 22-year-old has what it takes to meet the club’s high aspirations. Once again, his performance provided arguments both for and against.

Signed for £19 million from Serie A side Atalanta, Amad’s most memorable moment with United so far was his last-minute winner against Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-final last season. During a pre-season tour in Los Angeles, he expressed his desire to stay at United for life.

With Alejandro Garnacho returning late to club duties after Argentina’s Copa America victory, Amad has been given a chance to make his mark.

In a first half where United had the upper hand but still trailed, Amad failed to capitalize on two key opportunities. He had space to convert a difficult chance from a Diogo Dalot cross but sent his shot wide.

Later, during a counter-attack, what should have been a straightforward pass to send Marcus Rashford through on goal was misdirected, wasting the opportunity.

On the positive side, Amad scored the equalizer. Set up by Noussair Mazraoui, who has been impressive at right-back, Amad drove at the Brighton defense, cut inside the box, and unleashed a low shot. Jan Paul van Hecke attempted to clear, but instead turned the ball into his own net.

This moment likely justifies manager Erik ten Hag’s willingness to let Jadon Sancho move to Juventus if a suitable deal is found. However, it doesn’t fully resolve the question of whether Amad is the right fit for United’s future, nor does it silence doubts about Ten Hag’s decision-making.