Manchester United lost 3-2 to Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium, conceding three times in the first half of a Premier League for the first time in three years.
The Red Devils were two down inside the opening half an hour, as Glenn Murray flicked the ball past David de Gea and Shane Duffy then blasted home a second.
Pascal Gross restored Brighton's two-goal lead from the penalty spot after Romelu Lukaku had pulled one back, and United could muster just one more goal - a last minute Paul Pogba penalty - to fall to a shock defeat.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Premier League meeting between Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester United at the Amex Stadium. The Red Devils picked up a narrow victory over Leicester City last weekend to make a winning start to the new season, while Brighton were soundly beaten by Watford at Vicarage Road in their opener.
The Red Devils fell to a shock 1-0 loss here when the sides last faced off a few months back, but that was Brighton's only victory in their last 10 competitive matches - a run that has continued into this campaign with that aforementioned loss at Watford. The Seagulls brought in a number of new players over the summer, just a few of which were on show last time out, so will Chris Hughton change things around today? Let us find out...
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Ryan; Montoya, Dunk, Duffy, Bong; March, Propper, Stephens, Knockaert; Gross; Murray
SUBS: Button, Kayal, Bissouma, Locadia, Balogun, Jahanbakhsh, Bernardo
Hughton has made two changes on the back of the 2-0 loss at Watford, and they both come at full-back. Bernardo, who was Brighton's only summer signing to start last weekend, drops out of the side, as does injured captain Bruno. It means a first appearance for Martin Montoya on the opposite flank to the more recognisable Gaetan Bong. Shane Duffy and Lewis Dunk retain their places in the heart of defence.
Glenn Murray is once again fielded as Albion's central striker, making his 200th league outing for the club. Pascal Gross, the matchwinner when these sides last met, is fielded just off Murray, while Anthony Knockaert and Solly March are also included from the off for the second week running. Central midfield, meanwhile, is comprised of Davy Propper and Dale Stephens.
Summer signings Yves Bissouma and Alireza Jahanbakhsh both made their Brighton debuts from the bench last weekend, with the former looking lively at times, but both have to settle for a place on the bench again today. Bernardo is also among the back-up options after dropping out of the starting lineup, though there is no place for skipper Bruno after he pulled up in Hertfordshire.
MANCHESTER UNITED TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: De Gea; Young, Lindelof, Bailly, Shaw; Pereira, Fred, Pogba; Martial, Lukaku, Mata
SUBS: Grant, Rashford, Smalling, Lingard, Herrera, Fellaini, McTominay
The big news as far as Man United are concerned is the return of Anthony Martial, who at one point this summer looked certain to leave the club. The absence of Alexis Sanchez from the Red Devils' travelling party means that Tottenham Hotspur target Martial has a rare chance to impress, fielded on the left of a front three that also contains Juan Mata and the returning Romelu Lukaku.
Lukaku is preferred to Marcus Rashford, who did not make the most of his chance against Leicester and drops down to the bench. The third change from that 2-1 opening-day win comes at the back, with Ashley Young taking over from Matteo Darmian after building up his post-World Cup fitness behind the scenes. The rest of the back five, including goalkeeper David de Gea, and the three-man central midfield is unchanged.
Jesse Lingard, Nemanja Matic and Antonio Valencia have all returned to training over the past week or so, but only Lingard is included in the squad today. Ander Herrera, Marouane Fellaini and Scott McTominay are also on the bench, with Jose Mourinho certainly not short of options in that part of the field, despite his summer complaints. As it is, Fred, Andreas Pereira and skipper Paul Pogba are remain from the win over Leicester.
Jose Mourinho makes three changes to Manchester United's starting lineup, two of which come in the frontline. Romelu Lukaku and Anthony Martial take over from Marcus Rashford and Alexis Sanchez, while Ashley Young replaces Matteo Darmian at full-back. As for Brighton & Hove Albion, their two changes are also in the backline - Martin Montoya and Gaeten Bong coming in from the 2-0 loss at Watford.
The absence of Sanchez from United's squad is down to a "little problem", in the words of Mourinho. One man's absence is another man's gain, of course, and now Martial has a big chance to shine in one of the wide positions. United head into today's game on the back of a decent-enough display last weekend, seeing off Leicester 2-1 at Old Trafford through a Paul Pogba penalty and Luke Shaw's first senior strike.
Anything other than victory for Mourinho would have been disastrous on the back of a turbulent summer. Even after picking up the three points, though, the mood around Old Trafford has not exactly improved, as there as still ongoing rumours of a rift between the Portuguese and key midfield man Pogba. Mourinho has shut the speculation down twice already, but all does not seem well from the outside looking in.
The Special One missed out on the centre-back that he was desperately after during the summer, which he puts down to executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward. The bottom line, though, is that the Red Devils finished second last season and they do look stronger with the addition of Fred in central midfield, even if Michael Carrick is no longer involved. For all the talk of Liverpool being Man City's biggest challengers, United have the proven pedigree.
The challenge for United is keeping pace with Manchester City, who have crushed Huddersfield Town 6-1 this afternoon, a week on from easing past Arsenal and a fortnight on from doing likewise in the Community Shield against Chelsea. The last thing the neutral wants is another completely one-sided title race, but the early signs are that 2018-19 is going the same way as 2017-18.
Man United have won on the opening day of the season four years running now, but their biggest problem has been maintaining their push for honours. Mourinho followed up a decent maiden campaign at Old Trafford that saw him lift the Europa League and EFL Cup with a trophyless campaign last time out. A similar outcome this time around and you have to wonder whether the Portuguese will last a fourth season at the club.
The Red Devils have a nice set of fixtures to feel their way into the new season, with Tottenham Hotspur at home next weekend the only member of the top six they face until the end of October when travelling to Mourinho's former club Chelsea. Getting points on the board is imperative, then, and anything less than all three this afternoon will see the clouds serious gather over Old Trafford, even if the season is only two games old.
DID YOU KNOW? Manchester United failed to score in their final two away matches in the 2017-18 season, including a 1-0 loss at this ground - it has been 13 years since they last went three in a row without netting. The Amex Stadium, meanwhile, is one of only two Premier League grounds the Red Devils have failed to score at - Wembley being the other.
There is no Sanchez for the visitors today, although the Chilean's stats since joining United do not make for pleasant reading anyway. Sanchez has not scored on the road for his current employers in the league at all, in fact, with his last away goal coming last December at Crystal Palace for Arsenal. Pogba boasts better stats, and in each of the 11 games he has scored in United have gone on to win.
Manchester United endured a turbulent summer both on and off the field, with Jose Mourinho being left frustrated in the transfer market and seeing his side struggle for wins in their friendlies. The Red Devils put all that behind them with victory over Leicester City on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, however, and they are now looking to make it two wins from two.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS! Brighton & Hove Albion have won their last two home league matches against Manchester United, although those games were 36 years apart. Pascal Gross netted the only goal of the contest in May to earn the victory that sealed the Seagulls' place in the top flight for another year. United's last away win in this fixture was in April 1982 when the late Ray Wilkins was on the scoresheet.
Brighton were soundly beaten by Watford in last week's opener, being downed by a Roberto Pereyra double. It was as bad a display as we have seen from Hughton's men since their promotion to the Premier League over a year ago, offering worrying signs for the season ahead. The 59-year-old is clearly not panicking, though, and has decided against throwing in the likes of Bissouma and Jahanbakhsh from the off today, despite complaints from supporters.
The Seagulls failed to register a shot on target at Vicarage Road, as they saw their winless run in the Premier League stretch to 14 matches - the longest such streak in the division. It has been nine months since they last prevailed away, coming back from Swansea City with a 1-0 victory last November, meaning that they have been heavily reliant on their home form which is among the best in the country.
Twenty-nine points from 19 games was a positive return, losing just four times all campaign. In fact, only Everton could hold claim to better home form outside of those in the top six last season, so Hughton will be hoping for more of the same this time around with the odd away victory thrown in for good measure. A big improvement is certainly required on last week, with games against Man United and Liverpool up next.
Brighton will also face Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur in quick succession after the international break, so they could well find themselves in the lower reaches of the division come autumn. One win in their last 10 matches is the standout stat, with that coming at home to Man United in May, and Hughton confessed after the Watford loss that there can be no excused from his players.
Albion have won their opening home match in just one of their last five top-flight campaigns - a 2-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1980 - so the omens certainly do not look good for them. If that is to change today, Hughton knows that key creative threat Pascal Gross needs to get involved, having had a hand in six of his side's last seven league goals here.
With kickoff at the Amex Stadium now less than 10 minutes away, let us check out some pre-match thoughts from both camps.
Chris Hughton: "I think that's what happens when you are a top, top manager. Jose is one of our best managers, if you look at the record he has of winning things, and I think when you are that type of manager, you are going to be in the spotlight far more than others and everything is going to be picked up."
Jose Mourinho: "The truth is [me and Paul Pogba] have been together for two years and a couple of weeks, and I've never been so happy with him as I am now. That's the truth. I cannot demand more from him, I cannot ask more from him."
Mourinho, to his dismay, has had to spend the majority of this week fending off questions regarding the future of Pogba. The Portuguese has stressed that he has no problems with the Frenchman, despite thinly-veiled comments from the player in question in the aftermath of United's 2-1 win over Leicester. The Red Devils boss has made Pogba his captain once again today, and he will be hoping for a big display from the World Cup winner.
Hughton, meanwhile, has described his opposite number as a "top, top manager" and insists that being criticised is simply part of managing a club of Man United's stature. The Seagulls boss had the last laugh when the sides last faced off, and a similar result today really would pile some pressure on the Special One so early in the season. Two games in, this is already a game that the visitors cannot afford to slip-up in.
PREDICTION! Brighton lost just four home matches last season, but their overall record since mid-March makes for bad reading. The Seagulls looked out of sorts against Watford and need to integrate their new players into the side, whereas Man United were a little more settled in their win against Leicester to take some momentum into this south coast trip. We are backing a 2-0 away win.
KICKOFF: Brighton & Hove Albion, beaten in their Premier League opener, get us up and running at the Amex Stadium. A big afternoon ahead for Manchester United, as they aim to make it two wins from two to begin the new campaign.
Solly March makes good inroads down the left and swings the ball into the middle, where it is cleared away. Ashley Young then sent the ball in behind for Lukaku to chase down, but it was helped back to Mat Ryan and he booted it upfield.
A first real sign of Anthony Martial, with the Frenchman picking up the ball in some space out on the left but overhitting his attempted cross out of play for a goal kick. Before that, a loose touch from Romelu Lukaku saw the visitors lose possession.
Good play from Anthony Martial, who is far more direct on this occasion. The French forward took the ball between two men and fired away a shot, which hit an opposition player before it could reach Mathew Ryan's net.
Solly March again gets a decent cross in from the left, which David de Gea was able to come out and collect. Just the one goal attempt so far on the south coast, which saw Anthony Martial shoot into Brighton defender Shane Duffy.
CHANCE! A big chance goes begging for Romelu Lukaku. Paul Pogba profited from a Brighton mistake by sliding the ball through for the Belgian, who gave goalkeeper Mathew Ryan the eyes but then dragged the ball wide of the near post.
Romelu Lukaku's studs caught the leg of Lewis Dunk in the build-up to that previous chance. The Brighton defender, who produced an impressive block to deny Martial a few minutes beforehand, is now receiving some treatment.
This is worrying for Dunk and Brighton, as the centre-back has come back on but is hobbling quite a bit. Home manager Hughton will be keeping an eye on that one over the next few minutes - a real blow if Dunk is unable to continue.
A chance for Brighton to hit United on the counter, but Gross takes too long on the ball and then fails to feed it through for Murray. Shaw is lucky to avoid seeing a yellow from the next attacking move when pulling back on his breaking opponent.
United playing some good football at the moment, with the ball being played down the flank for Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian, who ideally would be in the middle, swings a cross into the box but it fails to clear the first man.
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION SUB! Lewis Dunk is unable to continue after picking up an injury in that earlier challenge with Romelu Lukaku. A serious blow for the home side, with Leon Balogun being brought on in his place.
A United corner is not properly dealt with by the home side, but it did not quite fall for Martial to strike. The Red Devils have created just the one real opening so far, which saw Romelu Lukaku drag his shot wide of the target.
A disappointing effort from Brighton winger Anthony Knockaert, who burst forward but took on the shot a little too early. The ball tricked wide of David de Gea's goal, with the Spanish keeper watching it all the way.
GOAL! BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 1-0 MANCHESTER UNITED (GLENN MURRAY)
This is a brilliant finish from Glenn Murray to give Brighton a surprise lead. For the third time today Solly March was given a chance to cross from the left, and on this occasion the delivery was matched by the run of Murray, who flicked the ball over David de Gea.
GOAL! BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 2-0 MANCHESTER UNITED (SHANE DUFFY)
Brighton have themselves a second goal! Two minutes after Glenn Murray's opener, Shane Duffy is left in enough space in front of goal to take two touches, the second ending with the ball flashing past David de Gea. The Red Devils look ragged.
That was Shane Duffy's first Premier League goal - what a time to bag it! Brighton are in control of this match against a United side still stuck in first gear. A stylish flick from Murray was added to by the central defender two minutes later.
GOAL! BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 2-1 MANCHESTER UNITED (ROMELU LUKAKU)
What a game this is turning out to be! Manchester United have a route back into the game through Romelu Lukaku's first of the season. Luke Shaw's miscued shot from a corner bounced up for Lukaku to nod past Mathew Ryan from five yards out.
A fortunate goal for the visitors, but one that could be massive in the grand scheme of things. That is their first attempt on target this afternoon, and it is now very much game on at the Amex Stadium with more than half the match to play.
Great footwork from Anthony Knockaert, forcing Fred to wipe him out at the expense of a free kick in a good shooting position. Knockaert was the player to take it on, failing to get enough curl and dip on the ball.
Brighton are playing the better football at the moment. Some more positive attacking play down he left-hand side ended with Gaeten Bong being given room to fire in a cross, which was far too close to David de Gea in the United goal.
PENALTY! Brighton have a chance to restore their two-goal lead, as the referee has pointed to the penalty spot. Eric Bailly slides in on Pascal Gross inside the box, leaving the official with little choice. Gross will step up...
GOAL! BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 3-1 MANCHESTER UNITED (PASCAL GROSS, PENALTY)
David de Gea, who was most at fault for the concession of the penalty due to his poor pass to Fred in the build-up, gets a foot to Pascal Gross's penalty. The ball was struck well enough to still end up in the roof of the net, though, and Brighton have themselves a 3-1 lead.
Not since October 2015 have United conceded three goals in the first half of a Premier League game. It has been a pretty dreadful showing from the Red Devils, which will surely force Mourinho into at least one change at the break.
HALF TIME: BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 3-1 MANCHESTER UNITED
Referee Kevin Friend blows for half time, meaning that Brighton & Hove Albion have a 3-1 lead at the midway point. It is the first time that the Seagulls have scored three goals in the opening 45 minutes of a Premier League match, emphasising just how much of a shocker Manchester United have had on the south coast.
Not since October 2015 had Man United shipped three goals in the first half of a league match, but that was the case on the south coast as they left themselves with a huge mountain to climb. Prior to Glenn Murray's opener, Romelu Lukaku - back in the side as one of three United changes - scuffed a shot wide of the near post after giving goalkeeper Mathew Ryan the eyes.
Brighton punished the Red Devils for their failure to get out of first gear, with Murray producing a stylish flick to lift the ball over David de Gea at the end of a Solly March cross. Murray's impressive goal was added to two minutes later by Shane Duffy, who was left in enough space to take two touches in front of goal after United failed to clear a corner, the second of which ended with the ball fizzing past De Gea.
United did pull one back through Lukaku's close-range header after Luke Shaw's miscued shot bounced nicely into his path, but Brighton restored their two-goal advantage before the break through a Pascal Gross penalty. A terrible pass from De Gea to Fred left the Brazilian in all sorts of trouble, with Dale Stephens nipping in and feeding the ball through for Gross, who was taken out by Eric Bailly. Gross stepped up and fired down the middle, getting the better of De Gea despite the Spaniard's foot touching the ball.
BENCH WATCH!
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION SUBS: Button, Kayal, Bissouma, Locadia, Jahanbakhsh, Bernardo
MANCHESTER UNITED SUBS: Grant, Rashford, Smalling, Lingard, Herrera, Fellaini, McTominay
KICKOFF: Manchester United get us back under way at the Amex Stadium, where there is news of a couple of changes to bring you. No great surprise to see Jose Mourinho change things around, bringing on Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford for Andreas Pereira and Juan Mata.
No improvement for United in the early stages of the second half - they are still struggling to find any sort of rhythm to their game. Hughton will be delighted with the way this match is panning out, with one eye no doubt already on the clock.
Rashford gets a couple of studs to the ball ahead of Ryan, but the ball runs out of play to cheers from the home fans. United need to find some inspiration from somewhere if they are to take a point form this first away match of the season.
Really good defensive work from Solly March to track back and keep out Ashley Young's right-sided cross. A flat cross is delivered towards the back post by Young, but Paul Pogba could not direct it goalwards.
United are the side in control of things in terms of possession, but just like in the first half they are unable to really create anything. Even their goal came through a miscued Luke Shaw shot, which Romelu Lukaku got his head to.
Man United now have a little over half an hour to net a couple of goals following a disastrous first-half showing at the Amex Stadium...
Lukaku desperately attempts to make something happen, but he is outnumbered by players in blue and white just inside the opposition box. Two goal attempts from Man United in this second period, none of which have been on target.
MANCHESTER UNITED SUB! Here comes Man United's third and final change, with an hour played on the south coast. Needs must and all that - Marouane Fellaini is on for Anthony Martial. Lukaku will therefore play the full 90 minutes.
Not sure how Lukaku is going to last the full 90 minutes - he already looks pretty fatigued. Marcus Rashford with a smart little headed cross into the middle, which gives Brighton's defenders a little something to deal with.
Pretty incredible that United are still stuck in first gear, despite knowing that they need at least two goals. Lingard and Rashford have given the visitors a slight boost, but they have not really looked like scoring since the restart.
YELLOW CARD! Glenn Murray is cautioned for backing into Victor Lindelof. Certainly not worth a yellow card in its own right, but Kevin Friend clearly felt that was one infringement too many from the Brighton striker.
Ashley Young with a dreadful cross, summing up everything that has been wrong with Man United today. They have offered next to nothing in the final third of the field and have also looked incredibly shaky at the back.
It has been a very quiet second half at the Amex Stadium. That will suit Brighton just fine, as they are the side in complete control of this match thanks to the two-goal lead built up in the first half.
SAVE! The Red Devils are probing away as we enter the final 15 minutes of the game. They have finally managed to get a shot on target, with Mathew Ryan doing very well to get a touch to Paul Pogba's long-range effort.
Mathew Ryan has gone down with what appears to be a chest injury after clattering into one of his teammates. United sportingly put the ball out of play, eating up more minutes. Kevin Friend will no doubt add them on at the end, regardless.
After a two-minute stoppage for Mathew Ryan to receive some treatment, we are back up and running. Just 12 minutes to go on the south coast, and it must be said that Brighton are looking incredibly comfortable here.
Chris Hughton has still yet to turn to his bench. Cannot really criticise the home boss for that - his side are two goals to the good, after all - but he does have two tricky attackers raring to come on in Bissouma and Jahanbakhsh.
All of a sudden there are just eight minutes left to play at the Amex Stadium. A very quiet second half is slowly petering to its conclusion. A goal for United will change all that, but they do not appear to have a second goal in them.
United have seen 75% of the ball in this second half. This latest attack sums things up nicely, though, as they passed the ball sidewards a few times before eventually launching it upfield. Do the visitors have zero urgency to their game.
A truly pathetic display from United, it has to be said. Conceding three times in the first half was bad; the fact they have offered absolutely nothing in this second period is equally as bad. The pressure is starting to build on Mourinho.
The game is being played in United's half of the field as we enter the final two minutes. Kevin Friend is expected to add on four or five minutes, so it is not over just yet, but the Seagulls are looking extremely comfortable.
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION SUB! Fred has a swipe at Murray but, thankfully for him, he missed his opponent and therefore escaped what could have been a red card. Beram Kayal has been brought on for Pascal Gross to help shore up Brighton's midfield.
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION SUB! Hughton makes his third and final change right at the end of the match, bringing off Glenn Murray to a standing ovation. Jurgen Locadia is on in his place for the final couple of minutes.
PENALTY! Man United have themselves a penalty right at the death following Shane Duffy's challenge on Marouane Fellaini inside the penalty box. The Red Devils will have a glimmer of hope if they convert this spot kick...
GOAL! BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 3-2 MANCHESTER UNITED (PAUL POGBA)
Hearts in mouths time for Brighton fans! Paul Pogba sends the ball down the middle to make it 3-2. Four minutes were added on and we have played each of those, so United may not even have a chance to punt the ball forward.
FULL TIME: BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 3-2 MANCHESTER UNITED
Paul Pogba's penalty came far too late in the game to revive Manchester United, who taste defeat in the Premier League in just their second outing of the season. Credit to Brighton & Hove Albion for taking the game to their opponents in the first half, setting up what proved to be a comfortable three points in the end.
That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events from the Amex Stadium. An on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here, and reaction will be available elsewhere on the site over the next 30 minutes or so. Thanks for joining!
