Manchester United faced a stunning defeat against Brighton in the third round of the League Cup, losing 3-2 after initially leading by two goals. The match, held at Old Trafford, saw United take an early lead with goals from Shea Lacey and Mason Mount within the first ten minutes. However, Brighton staged a remarkable comeback, scoring three goals to eliminate United from the tournament.

United started the match with high hopes, looking to quickly erase the memory of their recent loss to Manchester City in the Premier League. Lacey opened the scoring in the 8th minute, marking his first start under manager Michael Carrick with a powerful left-footed shot. Just two minutes later, Mount doubled the lead with a volley after a rebound from a Marcus Rashford shot.

Despite the promising start, United's attack faltered, and Brighton began to gain confidence. The visitors pulled one back just before halftime through Charalampos Kostoulas, who scored after a well-placed pass from Jaouen Hadjam.

In the second half, Brighton continued to press, and Pascal Gross equalized in the 65th minute with a calm finish after capitalizing on a defensive error. Just four minutes later, Maxim De Cuyper scored the winner for Brighton, completing the comeback.

United struggled to find an equalizer in the closing stages, with Rashford missing a crucial opportunity. The defeat was met with boos from the home crowd, and it marked a disappointing exit for United from the League Cup, having also been eliminated early last season. Brighton will now face either Manchester City or Norwich in the next round, while United will look to bounce back in their upcoming Premier League match against Fulham.