Manchester United’s turmoil deepened on Sunday as the managerless Red Devils were knocked out of the FA Cup following a 2–1 defeat to Brighton at Old Trafford.

Interim boss Darren Fletcher could only watch on as United’s final realistic chance of silverware this season slipped away, along with any hope he may have harboured of earning the role on a longer-term basis.

United started brightly but failed to capitalise on early momentum, and they were punished after 12 minutes when Brajan Gruda put Brighton ahead, steering home from a Danny Welbeck cross.

The former United striker then came back to haunt his old club midway through the second half, lashing a superb strike into the top corner to double Brighton’s advantage and silence the home crowd.

Discontent inside Old Trafford was clear, with persistent chants aimed at co-owners the Glazer family and British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe as frustration continued to boil over in the stands.

Any optimism of a bounce following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim proved fleeting. Although Benjamin Sesko’s late header gave United brief hope and set up a nervy finale, it was not enough to spark a comeback.

United’s miserable afternoon was compounded in stoppage time when teenage substitute Shea Lacey was shown a red card for dissent, summing up a bleak day for the club.