Manchester United’s Resurgence Continues With Dominant Brighton Victory
Is Manchester United finally taking flight? The evidence is mounting after their third consecutive victory, this time a comprehensive 4-2 win against Brighton that pushes them into Champions League qualification territory.
Casemiro’s Historic Performance Leads United Charge
The Brazilian midfielder delivered a unique goal+assist combination that proved crucial in United’s dominant display. Casemiro’s influence was felt throughout the match, showcasing why he remains one of the Premier League’s most complete midfielders.
Kunja Breaks His Duck in Style
Mateus Kunja finally opened his Manchester United account in spectacular fashion. On the 24th minute, Casemiro expertly controlled a floating ball and switched play to the left, where Kunja technically curled a beautiful shot into the far corner.
This marked the Brazilian’s first goal contribution for United in his ninth appearance. Kunja has established himself as a specialist from distance – among Premier League players since the start of last season, he leads with seven goals across all competitions. Remarkably, this strike came from just 0.06 xG, highlighting the quality of his finish.
Brighton Defensive Errors Prove Costly
United immediately capitalized on Brighton’s defensive mistakes to double their advantage. Casemiro unleashed a long-range effort that took a deflection off Yasin Ayari, completely wrong-footing Bart Verbruggen and finding the empty net.
This marked Casemiro’s first-ever Premier League match with both a goal and assist – a historic moment in his illustrious career.
Mbeppo’s Brace Seals the Deal
After halftime, United hammered home their dominance with a third goal, despite Brighton showing some positive moments. Brian Mbeppo perfectly exploited defensive errors, his shot squeezing between a defender’s legs and flying into the near post.
Benjamin Sesko provided the assist, continuing his impressive form – in his last three starts, he’s scored twice and now added an assist to his tally.
Welbeck Haunts His Former Club
Even in a match where United controlled proceedings, experienced striker Danny Welbeck reminded everyone of his quality. The former United academy product fired a stunning free-kick under the crossbar, though he respectfully chose not to celebrate against his former club.
Since leaving in 2014, Welbeck has become a nightmare for his former employers, scoring seven times against United – six in the Premier League, making him the record holder among ex-United players.
Late Drama Before Mbeppo Seals It
True to form, United couldn’t complete the match without some nervous moments. Haralampos Kostulas capitalized on a James Milner corner in the 92nd minute to make it 3-2 and create late tension.
However, any hopes of a comeback from 3-0 down were extinguished when Mbeppo completed his brace to secure the points. The Cameroonian international now has goal contributions in three consecutive United matches, having previously assisted against Sunderland and scored against Liverpool.
Including international duty, Mbeppo boasts 4 goals and 1 assist in his last five appearances. His match rating of 9.1 comfortably led all players, ahead of Casemiro (8.4) and the rest of the field. For 2025 overall, Mbeppo now has 14 goals and 6 assists – placing him in elite company alongside Mo Salah and Erling Haaland as the only players with such production.
Tactical Analysis: Where United Excelled
According to expert analysis from Anton Fadin, United displayed two nervous 15-minute spells at the beginning and end of the match. Early on, Brighton’s attackers easily found space behind United’s defense, with Yancouba Minte and Welbeck breaking quickly and creating danger.
However, United quickly settled, pressed Brighton into their own penalty area, and effectively killed the game with two goals in eight minutes.
The high-intensity pressing near Brighton’s penalty area forced numerous errors – a tactic Ruben Amorim particularly favors against teams that build attacks through short passing. While this approach typically forces opponents into long balls, Brighton underestimated the Portuguese manager’s strategy and paid the price.
When Mbeppo added the fourth goal after two conceded set-pieces, the result was beyond doubt. United finally look like a team finding their rhythm and climbing the table with purpose.
