Ashley Young scored his first goal for 18 months as Jose Mourinho’s side finally broke down stubborn Brighton resistance to move within five points of Premier League leaders Manchester City.
Old Trafford was getting impatient when Young’s shot from the edge of the penalty area deflected off Lewis Dunk’s outstretched boot and past Albion goalkeeper Mat Ryan.
It was just reward for Young whose performances since switching to left-back this season have earned an England recall.
Romelu Lukaku displays huge relief as he celebrates with his Manchester United team-mates following Ashley Young’s strike
Young’s shot – deflected by Brighton and Hove Albion defender Lewis Dunk – broke the deadlock at Old Trafford
Young celebrates after seeing his heavily deflected shot beat the Brighton goalkeeper and give Manchester United the lead
Brighton and Hove Albion striker Glenn Murray speaks with referee Neil Swarbrick with the players unhappy with the goal
Zlatan Ibrahimovic continued his injury comeback for Manchester United with his first Premier League game of the season
Jose Mourinho looked less than impressed as he walked off the Old Trafford pitch following a scrappy victory
MATCH FACTS, LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE
Manchester United: De Gea, Valencia, Lindelof, Smalling, Young, Pogba, Matic, Rashford (Fellaini 80), Mata (Ibrahimovic 62), Martial (Mkhitaryan 71), Lukaku.
Subs not used: Rojo, Romero, Ander Herrera, McTominay.
Goals: Dunk (OG) 66
Brighton: Ryan, Bruno, Duffy, Dunk, Bong, Knockaert, Stephens, Propper, March (Izquierdo 75), Gross (Brown 88), Murray (Hemed 75).
Subs not used: Kayal, Goldson, Schelotto, Krul.
Bookings: Murray, Duffy
Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire)
Attendance: 75,018
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Young’s shot was heavily deflected by Dunk and floated into the back of the net.
But Brighton can consider themselves unlucky with Anthony Knockaert, Pascal Gross and Bruno all missing chances.
United haven’t lost at Old Trafford since September 2016 when Hillary Clinton was still tipped to be the next American President.
But they received an early warning when Knockaert flashed a shot narrowly past David de Gea’s far post from a similar position to Dwight Gayle’s early goal for Newcastle a week ago.
De Gea then needed a safe pair of hands to hold onto a low drive from Gross from 18 yards as the newly-promoted side, unbeaten in five games, made an encouraging start.
Mourinho has had to contend with more criticism about United’s playing style in recent days, not least from club legend Eric Cantona who said he’d prefer Pep Guardiola to be the club’s manager.
And the home fans had to wait 16 minutes for their first excitement, a mazy dribble by Anthony Martial before he fell under a challenge on the edge of the box.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho shakes hands with his Brighton counterpart Chris Hughton before the match
Brighton and Hove Albion players go through their final team talk in a huddle just before the game gets underway
Match officials wear rainbow laces as part of the anti-homophobia campaign that is organised by LGBT charity Stonewall
Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford is forced to jump over Brighton star Lewis Dunk after a sliding tackle
Paul Pogba attempts to work his way past Brighton star Davy Proper as part of the first-half action at Old Trafford on Saturday
Rain pours down on the Old Trafford pitch as Brighton and Hove Albion successfully defend a Manchester United corner
Young looked a threat overlapping down the left, setting up Juan Mata’s whose far post cross was met with a backwards header from Romelu Lukaku into the arms of Australian international Ryan.
Lukaku, who divides opinion among United fans, had another half-chance at the far post when Antonio Valencia crossed but he headed wide.
Keen for a diversion, Mourinho made his point to the fourth official when Brighton got a free-kick for Victor Lindelof sliding in on Glenn Murray. By the look of his gesture, fingers to his eyes, Mourinho was stating: ‘Are you watching properly’.
His mood would have worsened even further had Gross’ free-kick into the box got a decisive final touch instead of Bruno’s flick going just wide.
United’s best moment of the first half came right at the end. Ryan misjudged a punch to concede a corner and then two Brighton defenders got in each others way and a hashed clearance went to Rashford.
His cross to the far post was powerfully met by Lukaku with Ryan stopping at point-blank range before blocking the follow-up from Pogba with his feet.
Brighton and Hove Albion goalkeeper Matthew Ryan makes a good save from Romelu Lukaku’s powerful first-half header
Manchester United midfielder Pogba sees his effort cleared off the line by the Brighton and Hove Albion goalkeeper
The France international needed treatment from the Manchester United physios after his legs were tangled in the melee
Manchester United’s Juan Mata attempts to break the deadlock with Brighton with a speculative shot from outside the box
Chris Smalling and Paul Pogba complain after a foul from Brighton and Hove Albion striker Glenn Murray, who holds the ball
Manchester United’s Ibrahimovic comes on for Juan Mata to make his first Premier League appearance of the season
Brighton started the second half with a lovely stepover and Cruyff turn from Gross – the kind of thing they appreciate at Old Trafford.
Such flair and imagination was somewhat lacking in a red shirt which is why Zlatan Ibrahimovic was warmly applauded when he started to warm up on a bitter and rainy Mancunian afternoon.
It took a big sliding tackle from Lindelof – which went unpunished despite leaving Knockaert in a heap – to raise the volume at Old Trafford.
The fans chanted ‘attack, attack, attack’ and Ibrahimovic was sent on just past the hour mark with Mata making way. With his first touch, the 36-year-old Swede forced a corner and soon after United broke the deadlock.
A corner was half-cleared to Young on the edge of the box and as Lewis Dunk rushed out to block his shot, the Brighton defender’s orange right boot deflected the ball over a despairing Ryan.
It was Young’s first goal since finding the net in a 3-1 victory against Bournemouth in September 2016.
Brighton never gave up of scoring an equaliser with Knockaert recovering from his knock to fire over a couple of dangerous crosses. Shane Duffy also headed wide following a big leap at the far post to reach a free-kick.
Mourinho sent his enforcer Marouane Fellaini onto the pitch to ensure three points which could be vital at the end of the season. Henrikh Mkhitaryan was also given 20 minutes at the end having been left out of Mourinho’s previous two squads.
Young opens the scoring for Manchester United after 66 minutes with the help of a deflection from a Brighton defender
Young celebrates in front of Manchester United fans in the rain after breaking the deadlock against Brighton and Hove Albion
Manchester United celebrate as a team by the corner flag as their supporters cheer following the deadlock breaking goal
Brighton’s Anthony Knockaert reacts after missing a chance to bring his side back on level terms at Old Trafford
Ibrahimovic looks dissatisfied after a decision goes against him during his short second-half stint for Manchester United
Old Trafford comes under a blanket of darkness as a grey cloud floats over the pitch and brings a heavy rain shower with it