Cunha, Mbeumo shine as Manchester United beat Brighton to extend winning run

Matheus Cunha scored his first goal for Manchester United as the Red Devils defeated Brighton and Hove Albion 4–2 at Old Trafford on Saturday, securing their third straight Premier League victory.

The Brazilian forward, who joined United from Wolves in the summer for £62.5 million, opened the scoring midway through the first half with a powerful strike from outside the box. His compatriot Casemiro doubled the lead before halftime after his shot deflected off Yasin Ayari to beat Brighton’s goalkeeper, Bart Verbruggen.

Bryan Mbeumo extended United’s advantage in the second half with a composed finish, marking his fourth goal since his transfer from Brentford. Brighton fought back through Danny Welbeck’s curling free-kick and Charalampos Kostoulas’s stoppage-time header, but Mbeumo struck again moments later to seal the 4–2 win.

The result lifted Ruben Amorim’s side to fourth place on the league table, maintaining the momentum from their recent victories over Liverpool and Sunderland.

Cunha’s long-awaited goal ended an eight-match drought since his arrival, while the win marked United’s first home triumph over Brighton in four meetings. Captain Bruno Fernandes, making his 300th appearance for the club, provided the assist for Mbeumo’s decisive goal.

United have now recorded three consecutive league wins for the first time since February 2024, a run that signals growing confidence under Amorim following a rocky start to the season.