Man United slump to defeat at home to Brighton as Spurs lose again at Everton

Ruben Amorim’s side sit 13th in Premier League while Ange Postecoglou’s team suffer third straight loss

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  Pervis Estupinan, Georginio Rutter and Kaoru Mitoma of Brighton & Hove Albion celebrate their 3-1 Premier League victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford on January 19, 2025. Getty Images

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  Brighton's Georginio Rutter scores their third goal against Manchester United. Action Images

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  Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim looks frustrated. PA

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  Kaoru Mitoma of Brighton & Hove Albion celebrates scoring his team's second goal with teammate Pervis Estupinan. Getty Images

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  Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma celebrates scoring their second goal. PA

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  Joao Pedro of Brighton & Hove Albion scores a goal, which was later ruled out following a VAR review. Getty Images

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  Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United scores his team's first goal from the penalty spot. Getty Images

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  Yankuba Minteh of Brighton & Hove Albion scores his team's first goal past Andre Onana of Manchester United. Getty Images

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  Yankuba Minteh of Brighton celebrates scoring his team's opening goal. Getty Images

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  Yankuba Minteh of Brighton celebrates scoring his team's first goal with teammates Joao Pedro, right, and Danny Welbeck. Getty Images

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  Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, right, lays a wreath in tribute to the late Denis Law on the pitch at Old Trafford alongside the Scottish great's former teammates Brian Kidd, Paddy Crerand and Alex Stepney. PA

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  Fans at Old Trafford pay tribute to late Manchester United great Denis Law, who died aged 84 on Friday. Getty Images

Manchester United lost 3-1 to Brighton at Old Trafford as they fell to their sixth home defeat of the season in the Premier League.

It is the highest number of defeats in their opening 12 home games since 1893-94, when they lost seven.

It was also their fourth loss in five Premier League home matches - and 10th from 22 games so far this season - and it leaves Ruben Amorim's side 13th in the table.

The visitors took the lead after just five minutes through Yankuba Minteh before United skipper Bruno Fernandes equalised from the penalty spot on 23 minutes.

But the Seagulls, who had a Joao Pedro effort chalked off by VAR for a foul in the build-up in the 53rd minute, got their noses back in front seven minutes later thanks to Kauro Mitoma.

Then United keeper Andre Onana came sliding out to intercept a cross from Yasin Ayari but spilled the ball for substitute Georginio Rutter to turn the ball into an empty net.

It was hardly the way the home side wanted to mark the passing of club legend Denis Law on Friday. It was also Brighton's sixth win in seven meetings with United. Fabian Hurzeler's side sit in ninth place in the table.

United captain Fernandes told BBC Match of the Day: “We can't concede goals so easily. We need to be more aggressive on the ball because this is the Premier League and the quality is so high.

“You have to be high intensity all the time. We need to be braver on the ball in the final third and between the lines. I need to keep the ball more between the lines and then play from there.

“We can't end up all the time with the ball at our goalkeeper like we do. I believe that it's confidence and bravery to do the right things. We have to be brave to do it again and again. It doesn't matter how much pressure is on you or how difficult it is to play for Manchester United.”

Brighton goalscorer Rutter told Premier League Productions afterwards: “We are happy with three points today. It's good fans here [at Old Trafford], it's hard to play here but today we stayed calm and played with confidence.

"I'm very happy [with my form] but it's about the team, they help me to score every week. It can be hard when a new player comes and you're expected to score straight away but they have been patient with me."

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  Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou reacts during his side's 3-2 defeat against Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday, January 19, 2025. AFP

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  Richarlison of Tottenham Hotspur scores his team's second goal past Jordan Pickford of Everton. Getty Images

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  Dejan Kulusevski of Tottenham Hotspur scores his team's first goal. Getty Images

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  Archie Gray of Tottenham Hotspur scores a own goal to give Everton a 3-0 lead. Getty Images

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  Everton manager David Moyes on the touchline with Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou. Getty Images

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  Everton's players celebrate their third goal, an own goal scored by Tottenham Hotspur's Archie Gray. Action Images

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  Everton's Iliman Ndiaye scores their second goal of the game. PA

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  Iliman Ndiaye of Everton celebrates scoring his team's second goal with teammates. Getty Images

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  Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Everton scores his team's first goal. Getty Images

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  Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin is congratulated by Orel Mangala and Abdoulaye Doucoure after scoring the opening goal. AFP

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  Pape Matar Sarr and his Tottenham teammates look dejected after Dominic Calvert-Lewin's opener for Everton. Getty Images

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou saw his side slip to a third successive Premier League defeat as they were beaten 3-2 by Everton at Goodison Park.

The Australian coach has now won just five of Spurs' 19 games since November.

Everton, with former manager David Moyes back at the helm, raced into a 3-0 lead thanks to goals from Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Iliman Ndiaye and an own goal by Archie Gray in first-half stoppage time.

Spurs fought back after the break with goals from Dejan Kulusevski after 77 minutes and Richarlison two minutes into added time.

After the game Postecoglou told Sky Sports: “It is a difficult result. We struggled to really get in the game in the first half and that gave Everton momentum. We gave ourselves a mountain to climb but the players certainly tried to claw the game back but we just fell short.

“We had some chances where we probably should have capitalised early on, but in the end it wasn't enough.

“We are pretty stretched. We literally had 11 players fit enough to start the game. We weren't in total control of our organisation and Everton capitalised on that and we paid the price for it. Radu [Dragusin] had to come off because of the deep cut and restructure.

“Second half we had the fair share of the game. We started strongly and I thought Richarlison made a difference and a presence and Mikey Moore gave us something on the left.”

Everton striker Calvert-Lewin said: “I am really pleased. It has been a tough patch for myself. I'm delighted with how we went today, we needed a win for the lads and the club.

“Everything clicked today. You go through periods where you're not hitting the back of net or getting the rub of the green. We were defensively solid and built from that.

“I have been in the Premier League a long time now so it is not my first rodeo.”

Nottingham Forest moved level with Arsenal in second place on 44 points from 22 games after a 3-2 home win against Southampton.

The hosts charged to a 3-0 lead inside 41 minutes after goals from Elliot Anderson, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Chris Wood.

But a fortuitous Jan Bednarek goal got the visitors back into the game before a powerful header by Paul Onuachu made it 3-1 in stoppage time.

Forest goalscorer Anderson, speaking to BBC Match of the Day, said: “We started really bright but made it hard for ourselves in the second half. Ultimately we got the three points and I'm really happy.

“We set out to attack both games with the same mentality. Southampton were really good midweek against Manchester United so we knew it was going to be hard for us. I've been working hard for that and the lads have been telling me to shoot. When I got space I thought I'd just bang it.

“The manager said it's always hard when you've got something to lose. We needed those three points because there are teams creeping up behind us.”