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Bruno Fernandes converted a penalty in added time as Manchester United made a dramatic entry into an eventful encounter in Brighton.
Fernandes converted coldly from 12 yards on the last kick of the game after referee Chris Kavanagh penalized Neal Maupay for handball after consulting the court monitor.
Solly March seemed to have earned Albion the point they deserved by returning home five minutes early to cancel Marcus Rashford’s magnificent solo effort.
But, after Kavanagh initially appeared to have blown the whistle full-time, Fernandes had the last word.
A Lewis Dunk own goal had quickly leveled Maupay’s brazen first goal from the penalty spot just before half-time, but the goals were far from the full story.
United, who struggled to impress and were second best for much of the afternoon, also had two goals disallowed, while the Gaviotas notably hit the wood five times and had another penalty award disallowed following a VAR review.
Brighton manager Graham Stephen Potter, as named on the official roster, felt that United were the best team to visit Amex Stadium last season.
Solskjaer returned to the rampaging team to record a complete 3-0 victory here in late June, bringing in Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Nemanja Matic and Mason Greenwood, while keeping faith in defender Victor Lindelof after his performance at the last weekend. Defeat clash at home to Crystal Palace.
FULL MATCH DETAILS
Following the unexpected loss to Palace, the 20-time English champions were looking to avoid suffering successive defeats at the start of a Premier League season for the first time in 28 years.
That unwanted stat seemed to materialize when Leandro Trossard struck both posts from the edge of the box and his Albion teammate Adam Webster headed off the crossbar within the first half hour.
Retired Greenwood then had an offside effort ruled out against Rashford in preparation, before Albion forward Maupay opened the scoring with his third goal in two games.
The Frenchman, who posted a double at Newcastle last weekend, boldly shot from 12 yards after Fernandes was penalized for a tackle on Tariq Lamptey.
Having secured the lead their display deserved, the Gaviotas surrendered it just 194 seconds later to tie at the break.
Matic deflected Fernandes’ free kick from the left before Dunk, under pressure from Harry Maguire, deflected for his fifth career Premier League goal.
With the tying goal credited to Dunk, United’s first goal attempt finally came in the 44th minute, when Matic’s tremendous shot from afar flew straight at Ryan.
Brighton, buoyed by three straight wins without conceding in the league and the Carabao Cup, played with great confidence and stretched the field at every opportunity as United continued to stutter.
The hosts thought they had a chance to quickly regain the lead within two minutes of the restart.
But, after initially penalizing Paul Pogba for a stumble over Aaron Connolly, Kavanagh reversed his decision after seeing the incident on the court monitor.
Minutes later it was United’s turn to be frustrated by the VAR. Rashford turned the ball into the net but, even though the flag was not originally raised, it was clearly offside.
However, Rashford was not denied for long and put United 2-1 with great individual effort.
After collecting the ball from Fernandes, he danced around the defense of the Gaviotas during a labyrinthine run that received the emphatic shot he deserved.
Brighton was far from defeated and deserved at least one point. March saw a small effort bounce off the inside of the right post, before Trossard completed a hat-trick of sorts by hitting the bar.
United, returning here in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night, appeared to have survived the pressure before the unbranded march sparked wild celebrations by nodding up close.
However, there was a late turn in history.
Players from both teams surrounded match official Kavanagh during an extraordinary finale to the game that culminated in Fernandes’ quiet penalty kick after Maguire headed off Maupay’s outstretched arm.
Amid the tumult, the Portugal international was the calmest man in the stadium, as he sent the ball into the upper right corner to cap off a crazy encounter.
Fernandes told BT Sport afterwards: “It was a tough match. We left them a lot of room to play and we weren’t as aggressive as we wanted (to be). We gave away two goals and we can do much better.”
“Brighton did very well. Everyone can say they deserved more, but the point is to score more goals, not hit the crossbar or the post.”
Potter said: “We had more chances and shots and we hit the wood a couple of times, but sometimes football is not fair, I have to accept that, as painful as it is.
“We played with real courage and spirit. I’d say we deserved something from the game, I’d say that’s an understatement.
“I thought we scored on the last kick of the game. I don’t know where the overtime came from to be honest.
“We are bitterly disappointed to concede the way we have done it, in the moment we have.”
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