Manchester United has been eliminated from the FA Cup in the third round following a 2-1 defeat at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on January 11, 2026. This result marks a disappointing start for interim manager Darren Fletcher, who was recently appointed following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim. Fletcher's first FA Cup match at the helm saw his side concede two goals, leading to journalistic interpretations of a 'failed managerial audition' given the club's current struggles. Brighton's goals came from Brajan Gruda and former Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck, who once again returned to haunt his old club. Welbeck has a history of scoring against Manchester United, making his goal a poignant moment in the match. Compounding Manchester United's woes, academy wonderkid Shea Lacey was shown the first red card of his career in the closing minutes of the game for a petulant outburst, picking up two yellow cards in quick succession for dissent. Benjamin Šeško managed to pull a goal back for United, but it was not enough to prevent their elimination from the competition. The defeat adds to Manchester United's challenging season, seeing them crash out of a domestic cup competition at the first hurdle for the second time this season.