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01/11 13:26 CST Man United crashes out of the FA Cup after 2-1 loss to Brighton
Man United crashes out of the FA Cup after 2-1 loss to Brighton
By JAMES ROBSON
AP Soccer Writer
MANCHESTER, England (AP) --- Managerless Manchester United crashed out of the
FA Cup with a 2-1 defeat to Brighton on Sunday.
At the end of a week that saw the storied Premier League team fire head coach
Ruben Amorim, the loss at Old Trafford has likely consigned United to another
trophyless season and was greeted with loud jeers from the home crowd.
Former United striker Danny Welbeck scored what proved the decisive goal in the
64th minute, and Benjamin Sesko's late header was only a consolation for the
hosts in the third-round match.
United has exited both domestic knockout competitions at the earliest possible
stage this season, following the humbling loss to fourth-tier Grimsby in the
English League Cup. The latest defeat means United will play the bare minimum
of 40 competitive games for a top division team this season.
Its only chance of silverware this term is the Premier League, which would
require a remarkable turnaround with the 20-time champion currently seventh in
the standings and 17 points behind leader Arsenal with 17 games left.
United hopes an interim coach will be able to secure Champions League
qualification, with the club having spoken to former players Ole Gunnar
Solskjaer and Michael Carrick about taking on the role until the end of the
season. Youth coach Darren Fletcher, who has taken charge of the two games
since Amorim's departure, is also a contender, as well as former United striker
Ruud van Nistelrooy.
The loss to Brighton underlined the job facing the interim coach.
Brajan Gruda fired the visitors ahead in the 12th, with Welbeck doubling the
advantage after the break. Sesko scored his third goal in two games in the
85th, but substitute Shea Lacey was sent off four minutes later and United
could not force an equalizer to take the game to extra time.
Arsenal advances
Arsenal advanced earlier Sunday with Gabriel Martinelli scoring a hat trick in
a 4-1 win at Portsmouth.
Martinelli's treble helped the Premier League leader come back from going a
goal down to the second-tier Championship team inside three minutes.
Colby Bishop stunned Arsenal with the opening goal at Fratton Park, but the
lead only lasted five minutes after Andre Dozzell scored an own-goal.
Martinelli put the visitors ahead with a flicked header in the 25th. He slid in
for his second six minutes after the break and headed in his hat-trick goal in
the 72nd. It was the first time the Brazilian had scored a hat trick for
Arsenal.
Victory could have been even more emphatic if Noni Madueke had converted from
the penalty spot in the first half.
"It's always tough to go into these places, especially in the manner that we
started the game, conceding the early goal, but we managed to turn things
around so I'm very happy," said manager Mikel Arteta.
Record 14-time FA Cup winner Arsenal last lifted the trophy in Arteta's first
season in charge in 2020. It was the last major honor the London club won, but
victory against Portsmouth maintains its four-pronged trophy pursuit along with
the Premier League title, the Champions League and the English League Cup.
"I think we are very privileged to be where we are, and the games that we have
to play, which means that we are in every competition," Arteta said.
Top-flight Leeds was also behind to Championship opposition, but recovered from
1-0 down to beat Derby 3-1 at Pride Park.
Third-tier Mansfield pulled off an upset to beat Championship side Sheffield
United 4-3 and Norwich routed Walsall 5-1, with Jovon Makama scoring a hat
trick. Norwich head coach Philippe Clement later said that U.S. international
Josh Sargent refused to play in the game.
Relegation-fighting West Ham needed extra time to beat QPR 2-1. Valentin ?Taty'
Castellanos' goal saw Nuno Espirito Santo's team end a 10-match winless run.
West Bromwich Albion beat Swansea 6-5 on penalties following a 2-2 draw after
extra time. Hull won 4-3 against Blackburn on penalties after a 0-0 draw.
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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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