Mitoma Sets New Premier League Record in Brighton's Win Over Manchester United

Kaoru Mitoma achieved a significant milestone in English football as he became the highest-scoring Japanese player in Premier League history during Brighton and Hove Albion's impressive 3-1 victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The 26-year-old winger scored his second goal in consecutive matches, bringing his season total to five and his overall tally in the Premier League to 15. This achievement surpasses the previous record of 14 goals held by Shinji Okazaki, who played for Leicester City.

Mitoma was instrumental in Brighton's early lead, assisting Yankuba Minteh for the opening goal just five minutes into the match. His blistering run down the left flank allowed him to evade the offside trap, setting the stage for Minteh to find the net.

Following an equalizer from Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes via a penalty kick later in the first half, Mitoma restored Brighton's advantage in the 60th minute. This time, it was Minteh who provided the assist with a perfectly placed ball from the right side that Mitoma volleyed home while fending off a defender.

After the match, Mitoma expressed his determination to continue scoring, attributing the team's success to their effective preparation and teamwork. Brighton sealed the win with a third goal in the 76th minute, scored by substitute Georginio Rutter, who capitalized on a mistake by United goalkeeper Andre Onana.

This latest victory marks Brighton's sixth win in their last seven encounters against Manchester United, elevating them to ninth place in the Premier League standings with a total of 34 points. This positions them firmly in the race for European competition qualification.

Mitoma acknowledged that while the performance was solid, there remains room for improvement. He emphasized the importance of maintaining high intensity and a strong desire to win in future matches, especially under the guidance of manager Fabian Hurzeler, with whom he has started in the majority of the league games this season.