Brighton 1-2 Manchester United: Late Rashford strike seals important win for the Red Devils

Manchester United claimed a vital three points in their push for a top-four finish with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side started the match brightly and took the lead in the 13th minute through a brilliant solo effort from Marcus Rashford. The England international picked up the ball just inside the Brighton half, drove towards goal and fired a low shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the box. However, Brighton responded well to going behind and equalised just six minutes later. Danny Welbeck, who was facing his former club, latched onto a through ball from Pascal Gross and beat Dean Henderson with a composed finish. The game was finely poised from that point on, with both teams creating chances but failing to convert them. Brighton's Neal Maupay had a goal disallowed for offside just before half-time, while United's Edinson Cavani saw a header come back off the crossbar early in the second half. It looked like the game was destined to end in a draw until Rashford popped up with a late winner for United. The 23-year-old received a pass from Bruno Fernandes, cut inside onto his right foot and curled a stunning shot into the top corner from 20 yards out. Brighton pushed hard for an equaliser in the closing stages, but United held on for a vital win that moves them four points clear of fifth-placed West Ham United in the Premier League table. Speaking after the game, Solskjaer praised his team's character and resilience in what was a tough encounter. "Brighton are a good team, they're a difficult team to play against," he said. "I thought we showed great character to come back after conceding and then to get the winner in the way we did was fantastic." Meanwhile, Brighton boss Graham Potter was left to rue his team's missed opportunities. "We're disappointed not to take anything from the game," he said. "We created some good chances, but unfortunately we couldn't convert them. Credit to United, though, they took their chances when they came." The win keeps United's hopes of Champions League qualification alive and sets them up nicely for their upcoming Europa League semi-final against AS Roma. As for Brighton, they remain in 16th place in the table, six points clear of the relegation zone with five games left to play. In conclusion, it was a hard-fought victory for Manchester United, but a vital one in their push for a top-four finish. Rashford's late winner was the icing on the cake for the Red Devils, who showed great character and resilience to come away with all three points. Brighton, meanwhile, will be left to rue their missed chances as they look to secure their Premier League status for another season.