Brighton 1-0 Manchester United: You’ve seen the Albion…

“There is a god of football” said Roberto De Zerbi after Brighton 1-0 Manchester United. And he must move in mysterious ways as the Albion beat their FA Cup vanquishers with, irony of all ironies, a last minute penalty.

Just 11 days had passed since United undeservedly secured their place in the final of the world’s greatest cup competition via a shootout at Wembley.

Brighton were the better side over 120 minutes, denied victory only by the brilliance of David De Gea and one miscue from 12 yards from Solly March.

It was a horrible way to lose a game of football, made one hundred times worse by the gloating of United fans. “You’ve seen United, now fuck off home” they sang afterwards on Wembley Way.

The arrogance, the entitlement, never mind the fact that the rest of the footballing world was only tuning into watch Brighton, whose style of play is a million times better than a Red Devils squad which cost half a billion pounds more than the Seagulls.

Despite that gulf in spend, Brighton 1-0 Manchester United saw the Albion complete a league double over the so-called biggest football club in the world for the first time ever.

For much of the preceding 100 minutes at the Amex, it looked like another 0-0 draw would be on the cards to follow the FA Cup semi final.

Both sides cancelled each other out and although Brighton led the possession numbers 60-40 and the shot count 22-16, shots on target was a very even 6-5 in favour of the hosts.

It was telling that Jason Steele was named Albion man of the match whilst his opposite number De Gea was the best United player on the pitch, pulling off a string excellent saves just as he had at Wembley.

Some questionable refereeing decisions went against Brighton, leading to more than one chorus of “The Premier League’s corrupt”.

Albion fans still bristle from that 2-1 defeat at Spurs, when the officials and VAR contrived to deny the Seagulls two perfectly good goals and ignore two stonewall penalties.

Yet when it mattered here, VAR did its job. A Solly March corner hit the hand of Luke Shaw. There were half-hearted Brighton appeals for a penalty but the fact the game continued, Kaoru Mitoma had an effort blocked on the line by Bruno Fernandes and then De Gea saved brilliantly at full stretch from Moises Caicedo suggested nobody really thought it was a spot kick.

Suddenly though, the game stopped. Referee Andre Mariner was eventually told to go to the screen, watched it back and realised Shaw had handled. Mr Mariner pointed to the spot and Brighton had a chance to win it.

“Let March take it” somebody bellowed in the West Upper. Not even gallows humour could kill the nerves. Just before the spot kick, my watch informed me that my heart rate was dangerously high and I should consider getting medical help.

Thankfully, Alexis Mac Allister was a lot calmer than the 30,000 Albion fans in the stands whom you could feel the tension pulsating off.

De Gea and his United teammates tried to play mind games to put Mac Allister off. Mac Allister responded by standing over the ball for an age after Mr Mariner blew his whistle for the penalty to be taken.

The Argentine midfielder composed himself and then struck high and hard into the top corner, followed by an explosion of noise.

It was less celebration and more a cathartic release of emotion, revenge for Wembley delivered in the most apt of manners from 12 yards.

United fans began streaming out at that point. Those who stayed unfurled a “Glazers Out” banner. We said before the game that Brighton would know they had done their job if there were protests against the Glazers by full time.

Brighton 1-0 Manchester United and taking zero points out of six from the Albion should ensure a healthy show of Norwich City scarves when United go to West Ham on Sunday.

Dissent against the Glazers because United concede a goal could have come much earlier than the 99th minute. Inside the opening 10, Kaoru Mitoma latched on a loose pass from Victor Lindelof to bare down on the United goal.

The Japanese Bullet Train could have squared to the unmarked Julio Enciso for a tap in. Unusually, Mitoma’s decision making let him down and he went for glory himself. De Gea saved superbly with his face, requiring lengthy treatment as a result.

Mitoma struggled to get into the game too much after that, thanks to Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The former Palace man did a superb job on Mitoma at Wembley, better than any other opposition full back has this season. That continued here.

Brighton’s right back had an equally impressive evening in dealing with Marcus Rashford. With no Pascal Gross, Joel Veltman or Tariq Lamptey, the role surprisingly fell to Moises Caicedo.

Arsenal or anyone else for that matter can stick another £20 million onto their summer bid for Caicedo’s services as he added another string to his bow in terms of man marking one of the best players in the country.

Either that or Rashford was tired as a result of a heavy day campaigning in his role of leader of His Majesty’s Opposition as the United Kingdom went to the polls on local elections.

On one of the rare occasions Rashford did escape the attentions of Caicedo, the England forward’s powerful left footed drive was repelled by a fine save at the near post from Steele.

Casemiro had headed onto the roof of the net minutes earlier and Steele was again needed to stand tall and block a one-on-one from Antonty Martial as United finished the first half the stronger side.

Mr Mariner and VAR – or in this case, the lack of VAR – took centre stage early in the second 45 minutes. Mitoma was pushed to the ground in the box in what appeared a clearer penalty than the one eventually given, only for Stockley Park to take no interest.

Up the other end and handbags were drawn at dawn when Antony completely lost his mind, hacking down Mac Allister and then trying to fight anything that moved.

The United winger was lucky to get away with only a yellow as he squared up to Dunk whilst throwing his head around like a combination of a nodding dog and somebody who has taken too many ecstasy tablets at a dance music rave.

At that point, it appeared as though Brighton were going to get no assistance from the officials. They therefore upped the pressure on United in the final 15 minutes, aided by a bold change from Roberto De Zerbi.

On came Levi Colwill at centre half with Adam Webster moving to right back and Caicedo redeployed in midfield. Webster looked like a child whose Christmases had all come at once as he regularly went charging forward to join attacks, absolutely thrilled with the freedom afforded by playing full back.

Deniz Undav and March also entered the fray. March was clearly after retribution for Wembley and he glided in from the right and past three red shirts before hitting a shot not far wide.

Mac Allister then drew an unbelievable save from De Gea after being teed up by March. The United goalkeeper could only have seen it at the last minute as it came through a crowd of players, somehow flinging himself low down to his right to paw the ball away at the expense of a corner.

With the game ticking into injury time, it looked at that stage like De Gea and Steele had done enough to earn clean sheets for their sides and a share of the spoils.

That was until all that late, late, drama. Maybe the Premier League is not as corrupt as we first thought? What we can say with certainty is that revenge is a dish best served cold and this was the most beautiful vengeance for the injustice of Wembley.

Brighton 1-0 Manchester United. Six points from the Red Devils for the first time ever. You’ve seen the Albion, now fuck off home.