Brighton shocks Man United with last-minute Alexis Mac Allister penalty after VAR controversy

Alexis Mac Allister's late penalty secured a surprising victory for Brighton and Hove Albion against Manchester United.

 United had hoped to widen the gap between themselves and Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, who had won 1-0 against Fulham the previous night, by claiming a win at the Amex Stadium.

Brighton and Hove Albion's impressive season under Roberto De Zerbi has kept them in contention for a fifth-place finish and a chance to secure a spot in the Europa League next season. 

The Seagulls were also eager to avenge their recent FA Cup semi-final defeat against Manchester United in a dramatic penalty shootout at Wembley.

The match got off to a frenetic start at the Amex as both teams sought to create early opportunities. Despite their efforts, neither team was able to break the deadlock in the first half. Nonetheless, the game remained an engaging affair, with both sides providing plenty of entertainment for the spectators.

In the second half, Brighton began to assert themselves and appeared to be the likelier side to score.

With the game approaching the 90th minute mark, the fourth official raised the board to indicate five additional minutes of stoppage time. As the clock ticked down, it seemed as though the game was destined to end in a goalless draw. 

However, in the dying seconds of the match, a corner was delivered into the box and subsequently cleared. Just as it appeared that the game was over, a potential handball by Luke Shaw was referred to VAR for review. 

After careful examination of the footage, the referee, Andre Marriner, was instructed to visit the pitch-side monitor, whereupon he awarded a penalty to Brighton.

IN THE 99TH MINUTE BRIGHTON WIN IT! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/LjPshJOHLq

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 4, 2023

 Alexis Mac Allister, the Argentine World Cup winner for Brighton, confidently stepped up to take the penalty kick and successfully converted it, causing an eruption of joy and celebration at the Amex stadium.

Fans were quick to react on social media.

One said: “Mac Allister has ice in his veins.”

Another tweeted: “They really were v good. Hard not to be impressed.”

A third fan added: “Fully deserved the stand out side mac allister is a baller.”

Someone else wrote: “Beautiful scenes. They battered the london reds 2nd half. Well deserved.”

Whilst a fifth commented: “Well deserved, by far the better team.”

Following their triumph, Brighton's position in the league table improved to sixth place, with a total of 55 points. The victory put them four points behind Liverpool, who occupy fifth place, with two games in hand.