The League Cup third round loss marked the end of two significant club records for Man Utd. Prior to this match, the club had never lost at Old Trafford after leading an opponent by two goals, a streak dating back to a 2-3 defeat to Tottenham in September 1976. Over that 50-year period, Man Utd played 145 home matches where they held at least a two-goal advantage, winning 143 and drawing two, before Brighton ended this remarkable achievement.

Additionally, Man Utd ended a 42-year streak, suffering their first home loss after leading at halftime. Before facing Brighton, they had gone 550 matches at Old Trafford with a lead after the first half, securing 498 victories and 52 draws. The club had not lost any such match since 1984.

Shea Lacey and Mason Mount gave Man Utd a dream start, but Brighton quickly exposed vulnerabilities in the home defense. Charalampos Kostoulas narrowed the deficit late in the first half, before Pascal Gross and Maxim De Cuyper completed the comeback in the second half.

Pascal Gross (right) celebrates after scoring Brighton's second goal against Man Utd in the third round of the English League Cup at Old Trafford, Manchester, England, 16/9. Photo: AP

The match initially unfolded favorably for Man Utd. In the eighth minute, Lacey received the ball and fired a decisive shot into the near corner, opening the scoring in his first senior team start. Two minutes later, the lead was doubled. Rashford dribbled into the penalty area and took a shot that Jason Steele saved, but the ball rebounded directly to Mount. The 27-year-old midfielder volleyed it in, making the score 2-0 after just 10 minutes.

This was Mount's first goal since playing against Wolves last December. The English midfielder had been sidelined with a foot injury after a friendly match against PSG in early August, and this was his first start since returning, replacing Bruno Fernandes.

Man Utd allowed Charalampos Kostoulas to pull a goal back late in the first half. In the second half, Pascal Gross and Maxim De Cuyper scored consecutively to send Brighton into the fourth round, while Man Utd was eliminated. For Gross, this was his eighth career goal against Man Utd and his fifth at Old Trafford.

This also marks the second consecutive time Brighton has eliminated Man Utd from a cup competition. In the FA Cup last season, Man Utd, under interim manager Darren Fletcher, also lost 1-2 to Brighton at Old Trafford in the third round.

Xuan Binh reports