Brighton snatch late win over Man Utd after comical Zirkzee offside

After scoring three points for Manchester United in his first game, Joshua Zirkzee inadvertently conceded a goal and three more in Brighton eight days later.

Alejandro Garnacho appeared to have given Erik ten Hag his second consecutive win of the Premier League season, yet his goalbound shot hit the helpless Zirkzee, still sliding after attempting to meet Bruno Fernandes’s pass across goal.

The Dutchman was offside by the barest of margins when the ball hit his knee, but it was enough to rule the goal out in truly comical fashion.

Danny Welbeck gave Brighton a first-half lead against his former club before Amad Diallo equalised on the hour mark, meaning United would have been ahead had Zirkzee’s knee not intervened.

Yet Joao Pedro ensured Ten Hag’s side were thoroughly punished for their unfortunate snafu, diving onto Simon Adingra’s cross five minutes into injury time to give Brighton their second consecutive win under Fabian Hurzeler.

The Seagulls had the better chances throughout the game, with Welbeck clattering the crossbar and Diogo Dalot clearing a Jams Milner chance off the line early in the second half.

But Manchester United did have two goals disallowed, with an otherwise out of sorts Marcus Rashford acrobatically scorpion-flicking the ball in from an offside position moment after Welbeck’s opener.

The 33-year-old Welbeck became the first ex-United player to score five goals against his former employers, bagging his 100th club career goal as he slid onto Kaoru Mitoma’s teasing ball.

Diallo’s equaliser was an emotional one, having declared himself able to play after a close relative passed away on Friday. He latched onto a through ball from Noussair Mazraoui before cutting back inside to finish on his left foot.

But Pedro’s late header, the beneficiary of some chaotic defending and an exquisite floated cross from Adingra, ensured United left the Amex with nothing, a result likely to increase speculation around Ten Hag’s job even this early in the season