Player ratings for Man Utd vs Brighton as Seagulls once again outclass United at Old Trafford.

The woe at Manchester United deepened as Brighton surged to a comprehensive 3-1 win at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon.

Danny Welbeck struck first despite a positive early start from United before Pascal Gross doubled the visitors' advantage with a sweet finish at the start of the second half.

Substitute Joao Pedro made it a 3-0 advantage as United were carved open far too easily in the 71st minute before Hannibal Mejbri reduced the home side's deficit with a fierce drive from distance.

It's a second league defeat in a row for United and their third already this season, leaving them in the bottom half of the table, while Brighton sit behind only Manchester City, Tottenham and Liverpool at the division's summit.

United's availability woes meant Bruno Fernandes was deployed behind two central strikers in Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund in a 4-3-1-2 system, while there was also a first start for Sergio Reguilon at left-back. Lisandro Martinez was deemed fit enough to partner Victor Lindelof in central defence after suffering an injury scare in the defeat at Arsenal.

Evan Ferguson was only fit enough for the bench for Brighton as Welbeck took the striker role. Neither Solly March or Pervis Estupinan made the matchday squad, with Tariq Lamptey coming in at right-back for his first league start since March.

The Seagulls' XI contained six changes and their usual fluency was absent as United started the first half in threatening fashion.

The recalled Jason Steele kicked away a Marcus Rashford effort which lacked power after a mazy run before the England forward nearly found Hojlund with a dangerous cross. The Danish striker was inches away from connecting with a desperate dive.

Brighton settled into a more steady rhythm but the lead they grabbed just before the halfway point of the first half still came against the run of play.

Simon Adingra's cross from the right was missed by Lindelof - accompanied with a Lallana dummy - and Welbeck arrived in the centre of the penalty box to finish past Andre Onana.

That goal took the zip and vigour out of United's attacking play but they nearly lucked into an equaliser with Rashford again driving forward. His strike from distance ricocheted off Joel Veltman, off the outside of the stanchion and away to safety.

Hojlund wheeled away celebrating what looked like a United equaliser shortly before half-time, but his tidy finish was chalked off by VAR as the ball drifted past the byline before Rashford crossed to his strike partner.

United had enough momentum and quality of chances to force themselves level but instead more dithering defending from the Red Devils helped Brighton double their lead.

Kaoru Mitoma drove forward on the left and found Lamptey, whose pass dribbled across the box and dropped to Gross. The newly-capped Germany international sold Martinez with a dummy before firing in his seventh league goal against United, having struck twice in this corresponding fixture last season.

Anthony Martial and Hannibal Mejbri were introduced from the bench as Erik ten Hag searched in vain for a way back into the game but the team's sloppy shape became more disorganised as the game wore on.

Brighton's third was all too easy from a United perspective as Lamptey ran unopposed before cutting it back to Pedro, who opened his body to find the far corner.

Hannibal's fine strike from distance did offer United a brief moment of optimism with more than 20 minutes remaining but no further threat was forthcoming as Brighton followed up their victory over Newcastle before the international break with another win at Old Trafford.