Mac Allister injury time penalty seals dramatic win for Brighton against United
3 min read
A last-gasp penalty from Alexis Mac Allister saw Brighton snatch a Premier League win against Manchester United on Thursday night.
Referee Andre Marriner pointed to the spot for a handball against Luke Shaw on consultation with the VAR official and Mac Allister sent David de Gea the wrong way to move the Seagulls above Tottenham and into sixth place.
Brighton stopper Jason Steele made a number of sharp saves to keep his side level as the hosts denied United a win that would have sent them into third above Newcastle.
Changes were rung by both managers, with Brighton sticking midfielder Moises Caicedo in at right-back up against Marcus Rashford.
Antony wasted the game’s first chance when played in by Bruno Fernandes, lashing beyond the far post before Brighton scuppered a huge chance of their own.
Victor Lindelof’s sloppy pass presented possession to Kaoru Mitoma in the box, but he cannoned his shot off the head of De Gea, resulting in some checks on the Spanish goalkeeper. Mitoma then ran at Aaron Wan-Bissaka and dribbled a shot past the far post.
A lull and some pretty but ineffectual play followed before United went close, Casemiro leaping at the back stick but placing his header over the top of the bar. Rashford breezed past makeshift right back Caicedo shortly after, forcing a save out of Steele at the near post.
Brighton offered starts to Facundo Buonanotte and Julio Enciso and it was the latter who nearly broke through as his fizzed drive whizzed past the post.
Anthony Martial was soon played into a similar position as Rashford earlier but greeted with a near identical save from Steele, who kicked the Frenchman’s shot to safety.
United broke beyond Brighton’s back line on enough occasions to find an opener but the cold edge of a class number nine was missing up front as the hosts ended the first half with some pressure that ended with no payoff.
Brighton wasted a few promising scenarios at the start of the second half, with Wan-Bissaka doing enough to force errors out of Mitoma in their one-v-one duels, whether that be shooting wide of the side-netting or forcing him to pass.
Antony, just booked kicking Alexis Mac Allister’s knee, provided another near miss for a game full of them, shooting just over the bar with a half volley from outside the box.
The game struggled for the fluency it boasted in the first half, with a number of poor referee decisions angering the home and away support alike. While there were flashpoints of aggression, neither side proved clinical enough to claim all three points.
There was late drama, though, with Brighton being awarded a penalty for a Shaw handball, and Mac Allister stepped up to secure all three points for the hosts in the 99th minute.
Next up for Man United is a trip to West Ham United on Sunday evening, while Brighton will return to action at home to relegation-threatened Everton on Monday.
