Brighton beat Manchester United 2-1 in the Premier League after Joao Pedro s winner deep into injury time.
Brazilian striker Pedro nodded home Simon Adingra’s cross five minutes in added time to compound United’s misery at a delirious Amex Stadium.
The visitors looked set to come from behind to win on the south coast after Amad Diallo cancelled out a first-half opener from former United forward Danny Welbeck.
But Joshua Zirkzee went from hero to zero by preventing team-mate Alejandro Garnacho from turning the game around.
The summer signing from Bologna, who last weekend scored on debut to earn a 1-0 success against Fulham, touched home his team-mate’s goal-bound finish on the line while in an offside position.
VAR duly intervened to disallow the 70th-minute effort and frustrate Erik ten Hag before Pedro rubbed salt into United’s wounds as 31-year-old German Fabian Hurzeler maintained his 100 per cent start since replacing Roberto De Zerbi.
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United ended their worst Premier League season with a 2-0 victory at this ground in May, which halted a run of four successive league defeats against the Seagulls.
Jadon Sancho was again conspicuous by his absence as manager Ten Hag stuck with an unchanged team, while Brighton boss Hurzeler named £40million record signing Georginio Rutter on his bench.
United winger Diallo wasted a golden chance by volleying wide when unmarked during an uneventful opening half an hour before Welbeck’s 32nd-minute breakthrough ignited the contest.
Pedro’s right-wing cross caused hesitancy in the away defence and Kaoru Mitoma swiftly sent the ball back across goal for the stretching Welbeck to turn home his sixth goal in 16 appearances against his boyhood club.
United had been relatively untroubled up to that point and appeared to have grabbed a quick-fire equaliser.
Marcus Rashford diverted home in unorthodox fashion with his heel after his initial header from Diallo’s centre was superbly kept out by Jason Steele, only for the celebrations to be cut short by an offside flag.
Ten Hag responded to a underwhelming first-half display by bringing on Netherlands forward Zirkzee in place of Mason Mount and pushing Bruno Fernandes out of the false nine role.
Despite the tactical switch, United were twice fortunate not to fall further behind.
Diogo Dalot was alert to hack clear close to the goal line after James Milner poked beyond Andre Onana before Welbeck headed against the crossbar following a free-kick.
The 20-time English champions capitalised on the let-offs to level with an hour played.
