FA Cup Shock and Statement as Brighton Dump United and Arsenal March On

The FA Cup third round delivered its familiar blend of shock and authority on Sunday, as Brighton & Hove Albion stunned Manchester United at Old Trafford, while Arsenal showed their class to overpower Portsmouth at Fratton Park.

At Old Trafford, Brighton rewrote history by beating Manchester United in the FA Cup for the first time, sealing a 2-1 victory that deepened the Red Devils’ miserable season. The visitors struck early when Brajan Gruda reacted quickest inside the box to fire home the opener and silence the home crowd.

United responded with waves of pressure and chances, but Brighton remained composed and struck again just after the hour mark. Danny Welbeck, returning to face his former club, was played clean through by Gruda and smashed an unstoppable finish into the top corner to double the Seagulls’ lead.

Manchester United finally found a lifeline late on when Benjamin Sesko rose highest to head home Bruno Fernandes’ corner, giving the hosts hope of a dramatic comeback. That hope was swiftly extinguished, however, as youngster Shea Lacey was sent off after picking up two yellow cards in quick succession. Despite a frantic finish and one last Maguire header, Brighton held firm to claim a famous win and knock United out of a second domestic cup competition this season.

Earlier in the day at Fratton Park, Arsenal were forced to dig deep after a nightmare start against spirited Portsmouth. The hosts stunned the Premier League leaders inside three minutes when Colby Bishop pounced on a rebound to give Pompey an early lead.

Arsenal steadied themselves quickly and were level five minutes later as Andre Dozzell inadvertently turned a corner into his own net. From there, Mikel Arteta’s side began to impose their quality, with Gabriel Martinelli heading the Gunners in front midway through the first half. A missed penalty by Noni Madueke kept Portsmouth alive at the break, but Arsenal showed their ruthlessness after the restart.

Martinelli struck twice more in the second half, completing his first senior hat-trick, as Arsenal repeatedly punished Portsmouth from set-pieces. His treble sealed a convincing 4-1 victory and underlined Arsenal’s growing threat from dead-ball situations.

By the end of the day, Brighton were celebrating a landmark FA Cup triumph at the expense of a fallen giant, while Arsenal marched on with authority despite an early wobble. It was a reminder of everything the competition stands for, drama at one end and dominance at the other.