Manchester United's woes deepened as Brighton secured a stunning 3-1 victory at Old Trafford in Saturday's Premier League showdown.
Erik ten Hag's side endured a rough first half, with former United forward Danny Welbeck netting the opener, followed by goals from Pascal Gross and Joao Pedro in the second half.
Hannibal Mejbri's maiden club goal brought little consolation to United, who faced a chorus of boos from their supporters at the final whistle. This defeat marked their second consecutive loss following the 3-1 setback against Arsenal before the international break.
With three losses in five league games this season, United now languish in 12th place, portraying a club in turmoil both on and off the pitch.
Ten Hag seemed to have brought stability to United last season, ending the club's six-year trophy drought by winning the League Cup and securing a Champions League spot in his debut campaign. However, hopes of a title challenge have dimmed significantly with their dismal start to the new season. Their upcoming daunting Champions League clash against Bayern Munich only adds to their current troubles.
Responding to a series of disciplinary issues involving his players, Ten Hag stated this week that he found "no good culture" within the squad upon his arrival at Old Trafford from Ajax.
Moreover, Ten Hag expressed uncertainty about the future of exiled forward Jadon Sancho, who has been training separately from the first team after publicly expressing frustration over being dropped for the Arsenal match.
Meanwhile, forward Antony is on a leave of absence to address allegations of domestic violence made against him by three women, allegations he vehemently denies. Antony's situation follows Mason Greenwood's loan move to Spanish side Getafe earlier this season, which was prompted by domestic abuse allegations that were subsequently dropped.
Brighton continued to torment United, maintaining their winning streak against the club in the Premier League. Despite a promising start from the hosts, Brighton took the lead through Welbeck's composed finish in the 20th minute.
United came close to equalising when Marcus Rashford's shot hit the crossbar, and Rasmus Hojlund had a controversial goal ruled out by VAR for going out of play before reaching him.
Gross extended Brighton's lead in the 53rd minute, dancing past defenders to slot home a precise finish. United's attempts at a comeback fell short, with Pedro sealing the deal for Brighton in the 71st minute.
Hannibal's late goal offered little consolation as the crisis deepened for Manchester United, leaving their fans disheartened.
