Brighton clinch European spot despite Man Utd thrashing as Fernandes breaks assist record

[p]Plenty needed to fall [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brighton/2XrRecc3/"]Brighton[/a]’s way if they were to breach the top six on the final day, yet a controlled start in the searing heat showed they were confident of holding up their end of the bargain.[/p][p]Creating chances was tough in the face of a stubborn [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-united/ppjDR086/"]United[/a] backline, with the hosts’ most threatening moment of the opening 20 minutes coming when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-cuyper-maxim/GGc6kPWT/"]Maxim De Cuyper[/a] cut in from the left and curled just wide of the far post.[/p][p]United took until the 33rd minute to register a shot, but they made it count and broke the deadlock.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dorgu-patrick/Sf4eaXAH/"]Patrick Dorgu[/a]’s return to the starting XI for the first time since January was greeted by a third goal in as many starts from the Dane, who headed in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandes-bruno/GYvAMDm2/"]Fernandes[/a]’ corner via the underside of the bar to take the Red Devils captain to 21 Premier League assists this term - an outright all-time competition record.[/b][/p][embed guid="40db7630-7037-411c-9bbb-cd6bc11d415e" url="https://x.com/Flashscorecom/status/2058572585294508042" social-type="twitter" /][p]The momentum of the game completely swung on that goal, with the visitors going close to an immediate second when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shaw-luke/88iLXV0O/"]Luke Shaw[/a] whistled an effort just wide of the target.[/p][p]Fabian Hurzeler’s men never really recovered despite surviving that scare, and were undone again in some style on the stroke of half-time.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/traore-amad/I5Rhq1WL/"]Amad Diallo[/a] fed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mount-mason/lOA8VKIK/"]Mason Mount[/a], who returned the favour by slotting the Ivorian in down the inside right, and he duly squared for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbeumo-bryan/8KDrOl80/"]Bryan Mbeumo[/a] to tap in his second goal in as many matches, with that also a career-high ninth Premier League goal involvement for the Cameroonian against Brighton.[/b][/p][image alt="Match momentum" id="967f5d55-6535-47f9-aec2-25b204275761" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="3225a3d5-2425-4c91-beae-ce62cc0caab1" original-width="1920" original-height="1080" /][p]The Seagulls were jeered off at the break, and the home fans’ mood only worsened after the restart.[/p][p][b]Dorgu beat the offside trap to receive Amad’s pass, and teed up the overlapping Fernandes to rifle home United’s third of the afternoon. [/b][/p][p]Brighton were shell-shocked, and only a trio of smart saves from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/verbruggen-bart/6PChQYLj/"]Bart Verbruggen[/a] prevented the rampaging Dorgu and Amad from further stretching the visitors’ lead.[/p][p]While [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gomez-diego/KrSC9Fhb/"]Diego Gomez[/a] directed a low effort wide, the Seagulls never really threatened [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lammens-senne/UFssg7X4/"]Senne Lammens[/a] on a very disappointing afternoon.[/p][embed guid="a3dd80e6-6645-48e4-b792-8ffed8784959" url="https://x.com/ManUtd/status/2058593150243926170" social-type="twitter" /][p]Two successive losses without reply consign Brighton to the UEFA Conference League next season, with this just a third defeat in nine Premier League meetings with the visitors.[/p][p]United, meanwhile, saw [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/yoro-leny/hSGFyXra/"]Leny Yoro[/a] hit the bar late on as they went into the summer on the back of five victories in six outings and a 24th win on the final day - only [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a] have managed more in league history.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandes-bruno/GYvAMDm2/"]Bruno Fernandes[/a] (Manchester United)[/b][/p][image alt="Key stats" id="912e9e37-217b-4be5-bee8-e6a2237af3a0" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="3f46c850-6708-45ac-b9cb-76c476286947" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/brighton-2XrRecc3/manchester-utd-ppjDR086/summary/stats/?mid=xQXUa3UG"]Catch up on the match stats with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]