Mbeumo Shines as Manchester United Defeat Brighton for Third Consecutive Premier League Win

Manchester United’s resurgence under manager Rúben Amorim continued in style as Bryan Mbeumo’s brace, alongside goals from Matheus Cunha and Casemiro, sealed a 4–2 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday — their third consecutive Premier League win.

Building on last weekend’s long-awaited triumph at Liverpool, United opened the scoring in the 24th minute when Cunha rifled a stunning strike into the bottom corner — his first goal for the club.

Ten minutes later, fortune favoured the hosts as Casemiro’s effort took a heavy deflection before finding the net to double United’s advantage. Mbeumo added a composed third just after the hour mark, putting United firmly in control at Old Trafford.

However, Brighton fought back, with former United forward Danny Welbeck curling in a superb free-kick to reduce the deficit before Charalampos Kostoulas’s stoppage-time header set up a tense finale.

As Brighton pushed everyone forward in search of an equaliser, Mbeumo struck again in the 96th minute, firing powerfully into the roof of the net to secure victory and lift United to fourth in the table. Brighton, meanwhile, remained 12th.

“I enjoy it a lot here,” Mbeumo told Sky Sports. “It wasn’t easy at the start — it’s a new environment and a new level of expectation — but with the link-up play and the team chemistry, everything is moving in the right direction.

“The work we put in and the togetherness we show on the pitch are key. I like the challenges. I came here to a big club because we want to fight for the top places.”

Brighton Provide a Stern Test for Improving United

The visitors represented a significant test for an improving United side, as no team has recorded more Premier League victories against them since the start of the 2021–22 season than Brighton.

Last weekend’s win at Anfield marked the first time Amorim had overseen back-to-back league victories since taking charge 11 months ago. The Portuguese manager emphasised beforehand that such progress would mean little if United failed to maintain their momentum against Brighton.

Welbeck tested United goalkeeper Senne Lammens early on as Brighton made a confident start, but Cunha’s pinpoint finish quickly settled home nerves. Since the start of last season, the Brazilian has scored more goals from outside the box than any other Premier League player in all competitions.

Casemiro’s deflected goal gave United further breathing space, and they could easily have extended their lead before the interval. Mbeumo — who also scored in the win at Liverpool — made it 3–0 with another well-taken finish shortly after the restart, appearing to put the result beyond doubt.

However, defensive lapses allowed Brighton a route back into the contest. Welbeck’s free-kick and Kostoulas’s late header gave the visitors hope, forcing United into a nervy ending.

Mbeumo’s stoppage-time strike, though, extinguished any chance of a comeback and ensured United recorded three successive league victories for the first time since August 2024.

“We put ourselves in a really difficult position,” said Welbeck. “We’ve got a great group and showed real character to come back with two goals. We were close to maybe getting a third, but it didn’t happen. Still, it’s a good sign that we fought until the end.”