Manchester United need to be more clinical in front of goal and maintain their focus for a full 90 minutes, manager Erik ten Hag said after his side squandered a few chances before conceding late in Thursday’s 1-0 Premier League loss at Brighton & Hove Albion.

United and Brighton both had opportunities early in the first half, with Antony firing wide in the second minute before Kaoru Mitoma hammered a fierce shot straight into the face of David de Gea.

However, the deadlock was not broken until the ninth minute of stoppage time, when Alexis Mac Allister scored from the spot to secure victory after Luke Shaw had handled the ball in the box.

“Every defeat is a disappointment but in the end when you lose in the last second, that is of course annoying,” Ten Hag told reporters.

“And I think the first minutes sum everything up. We create a good chance, we were not clinical enough, then in the attack after we concede a big chance by a giveaway from us, the ball on the head for David.

“And in the end, we also gave away the goal and that’s annoying. If you can’t win because you don’t finish your opportunities then don’t lose.”

Asked if United’s defeat was caused by fatigue, Ten Hag said: “I have seen our physical outputs in the last games, we still have high levels, performing really well.

“The last five games, we had four wins, one draw. We were in a good run, we are improving. But we still have a way to go.

“We have to be more clinical and stay focused until the end of the game.”

The defeat left United in fourth place on 63 points. They next play at West Ham United on Sunday.

The victory was some measure of revenge for Brighton, who lost to Manchester United on penalties in their FA Cup semi-final 11 days ago.

Mitoma was a threat throughout, creating several chances for himself before teeing up Danny Welbeck to fire high and wide from the edge of the box early in the second half as United struggled to pass the ball out of defence.

After getting booked in the first half, United midfielder Casemiro was lucky not to pick up his second yellow card as he hacked down MacAllister on the edge of the box in the in the second half.

Tempers flared in the 68th minute as United winger Antony, angry at not being awarded a free-kick, was penalised for a tackle on Mac Allister before getting into a confrontation with Lewis Dunk that earned both players a yellow card.

Brighton continued to press forward looking for a winner, with substitute Solly March and Mac Allister both forcing superb saves from De Gea as the clock ticked towards 90 minutes.

“There is now a real chase,” Shaw said. “People around us are picking up points. But it’s in our hands.”

Shaw said he got a “little nudge” as he jumped to attempt to head away the ball, but accepted “the hand shouldn’t be there.”

“I own up to it, it cost us the game,” the England left back said.

The dramatic end of the match brought back memories of a meeting between Brighton and United in 2020, which was decided by a converted penalty from United’s Bruno Fernandes in the 10th minute of stoppage time.

This time, Brighton was on the right side of a late penalty, scoring their latest-ever goal in the Premier League and the latest ever against United in the competition.

Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi felt a sense of justice after his team’s impressive display at Wembley Stadium last month.

“Both games I think we played better than United,” De Zerbi said.

Leeds brace for City class

Leeds: Leeds United will have to produce their best defensive performance of the season if they hope to take points off Manchester City as they bid to retain their Premier League status, interim manager Sam Allardyce said on Friday.

Allardyce was parachuted in on Wednesday in a desperate attempt to avert relegation after the Yorkshire club sacked Javi Gracia. Leeds are in 17th place, outside the drop zone on goal difference, and have taken one point from their last five games.

He faces a stern test in his first game in charge on Saturday at City, who lead the table by a point with a game in hand over Arsenal and have won nine straight league matches, scoring at least three goals in six of those.

The odds will be stacked against a Leeds side who have the worst defence in the top flight, with 67 goals conceded in 34 games. “We hope we can find a space or two to cause them some problems,” the 68-year-old Allardyce, who had never been relegated until taking West Bromwich Albion down in his last top-flight job, told reporters.

“We can’t afford to miss any chances, we have to be ruthless and clinical and defensively the team will have to be the best it’s been this season.”

Asked about the problems he needs to address, Allardyce said: “In possession I’ve always seen them to be very good, but out of possession recently has been, as everybody can see by the goals they’ve conceded, something that needed most of the work on.

“We have to balance the two. Carry on with the way you are playing in possession, creating openings, but make sure when you lose the ball you block off the openings.”

Allardyce added that he and his backroom staff had attempted to lighten the moodat Leeds and make their training ground “a nice place to come to.

Reuters