A dramatic stoppage-time penalty awarded after the referee had blown for full-time handed Manchester United a fortuitous 3-2 win at Brighton & Hove Albion.
In one of the craziest finales in Premier League history, Bruno Fernandes stroked home the winning penalty in the 100th minute, which was awarded via a VAR check for Neal Maupay’s handball from a corner, after referee Chris Kavanagh had already blown his full-time whistle.
Bedlam ensured when United captain Harry Maguire argued his header had struck Maupay’s hand and when replays clearly showed an infringement, Kavanagh pointed to the spot.
It was a cruel twist for Brighton, who had two goals disallowed, struck the woodwork five times, and dominated the first half, taking the lead through a Maupay penalty in the 40th minute before Lewis Dunk’s own goal gave United an equalizer at the interval.
Marcus Rashford, who earlier had a goal chalked out for offside, put United ahead in the 55th minute only for Brighton to grab what they thought was a deserved equalizer when Solly March headed home in stoppage time.
Graham Potter, the Brighton manager, was left fuming with the amount of time added on and said March’s equalizer should have been the last kick of the game.
He told BT Sport: "I thought we scored with the last kick of the game, so I don't know where the extra time came from.
"You'll have to ask the referees in terms of how much time they add.
"We're bitterly disappointed to concede in the way we have and at the time we have as it's a cruel blow for us after I thought a fantastic performance."
Potter also expressed his disappointment that VAR overturned a penalty awarded by Kavanagh after Paul Pogba appeared to have clumsily brought down Aaron Connolly.
He said: "From where I was, watching it live, I thought he got the other side of him and there was contact, then it's up to the referee and VAR to make their call.
"It's not for me to comment on, it is what it is, we're disappointed with that but, in football, sometimes you get them and sometimes you don't.”
Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer summed up the mood when he admitted "we got away with one."