Manchester United fell to a 2-3 defeat against Brighton and Hove Albion in the Carabao Cup at Old Trafford, marking a disappointing loss that saw them squander a two-goal lead. This was the first time since 1976 that United had lost at their home ground after being two goals up, a rare and notable achievement for their rivals. The result adds to a challenging week for the club, which had already suffered a derby defeat to Manchester City and faced reports that 15-year-old academy player JJ Gabriel has requested to leave the club. The match began positively for United, with 19-year-old academy player Shea Lacey scoring just eight minutes in on his first-ever start. A second goal quickly followed, with Mason Mount adding to the lead two minutes later. However, Brighton responded before halftime, with Charalampos Kostoulas scoring to bring the score to 2-1. United struggled to contain Brighton's momentum in the second half, as Pascal Gross equalized and substitute Maxim De Cuyper scored the winning goal, drawing boos from the home crowd. Former United player Jamie Redknapp criticized the team's performance, particularly pointing out that substitute Joshua Zirkzee failed to effectively pass the ball to his teammates. Manager Michael Carrick made several changes in the second half, including bringing on Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes, but the adjustments did not help. Just after the substitutions, De Cuyper scored a third goal for Brighton, sealing the win. This loss extends Manchester United's difficult start to the season, with only two wins from their first six matches across all competitions. The defeat also means United have now lost their last four domestic cup matches, further intensifying pressure on Carrick. Fans and pundits are increasingly questioning the direction of the team, especially after a series of underwhelming results and internal challenges.