Manchester United have moved five points behind Manchester City, with the Premier League leaders due to play Huddersfield Town on Sunday.
However, it wasn’t an easy afternoon for Jose Mourinho’s team, who needed a Lewis Dunk own-goal to dispatch Brighton and Hove Albion at Old Trafford. The newly-promoted team made United work for their victory on Saturday, after having arguably the better of the first-half. Chris Hughton’s side dropped-off in the second-half and made it very difficult for the home side to break them down.
Mourinho brought on Zlatan Ibrahimovic for Juan Mata in the second period. However, despite having several players capable of providing a moment of magic on the pitch, relief for United came from an unlikely source.
Ashley Young collected the ball from a corner, created space for himself and let fly with a shot.
That's @Youngy18's first goal for 18 months – a crucial time to get it! #MUFC #MUNBHA pic.twitter.com/qRIAMIt7RF
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 25, 2017
Young, who hasn’t scored for over a year and a half, ran-off celebrating after the ball hit the net, taking the acclaim of his United teammates and the Stretford End.
However, the goal has been awarded as a Dunk own-goal, and it’s easy to see why. Young’s shot took a wicked deflection, and looped away from the Brighton goalkeeper Mat Ryan into the top corner.
Here’s how the goal happened:
