Brighton eliminates Manchester United from the League Cup

Brighton deepened Manchester United’s misery by eliminating them from the third round of the English Professional Football League Cup 3-2 yesterday. The Red Devils failed to secure a home victory for the third consecutive match, following their 1-0 defeat at home to Manchester City, who were playing with ten men, in the previous Premier League round, after they had earlier been held to a 2-2 draw by Everton. This loss marks United’s third defeat in six matches across all competitions, increasing the pressure on manager Michael Carrick after the team’s early exit from the cup, squandering a two-goal lead.

After Mason Mount (10th minute) and Shay Lolley (8th minute) gave United an early lead, Brighton reduced the deficit before halftime through Greek defender Charalampos Kostoulas (45+1), then turned the match around with two goals within five minutes of the second half, courtesy of German midfielder Pascal Groß (65th minute) and Belgian forward Maxim De Cuyper (70th minute).

In another match, Everton advanced to the fourth round with a 1-0 victory over visiting Wolverhampton Wanderers. Everton’s win was thanks to a goal from Argentine substitute Carlos Alcaraz (80th minute). Aston Villa also secured their progression with a 3-1 win against host Coventry City. Tammy Abraham scored for Birmingham City in the 7th and 59th minutes, with Ross Barkley adding another in the 40th, while Denmark’s Viktor Torp scored for Coventry in the 27th minute. Meanwhile, fourth-tier Fleetwood Town eliminated second-tier Sheffield United 1-0.