Onana roar and defensive disaster class bring the Red Devils' mini-revival to a screeching halt.
Match report
Law was the third highest scorer in United's history and was part of a golden era at Old Trafford.
Nowadays, however, things are very different – and Brighton once again thoroughly enjoyed playing the Theater of Dreams.
Goals from Kaoru Mitoma's Yankubah Minteh gave the Seagulls the lead before Andre Onana gifted substitute Georginio Rutter with a third.
And that was more than enough to see them win a third time in a row at United and put an end to the mini-revival that Ruben Amorim's men have enjoyed in recent weeks.
The tribute to Law was done brilliantly by United, but there was little sympathy from the visitors as the match started.
Onana had saved smartly from Joao Pedro at his near post, but it didn't take long for his defense to open up again in the fifth minute.
Carlos Baleba's ball over the top sent Mitoma free down the left and he unselfishly put the ball towards Minteh who tapped home.
United certainly showed some fight to fight their way back and Bart Verbruggen troubled his defenders with his wayward pass.
Joshua Zirkzee was stopped by Baleba as he went to shoot and referee Peter Bankes had no choice but to point to the spot.
Bruno Fernandes sent Verbruggen the wrong way from the spot and the Red Devils seemed to be in it again.
But the captain got away with one ball just before half-time when his backpass put his team in trouble, but Diogo Dalot blocked former United man Danny Welbeck's goal attempt.
There was another reprieve just after the restart when United failed to deal with a low free-kick in the box and Pedro spun sharply before firing past Onana.
Fortunately for the home side, VAR had spotted Jan Paul van Hecke's kick at Dalot before the ball fell to the Seagulls striker.
The referee looked at it for a long time before finally agreeing, but it is fair to say that the Portuguese defender made the best of it.
This time the repulse was short-lived, as the visitors took the lead more than five minutes later.
Mitoma had beaten Minteh for the opening goal – and this time the tables were turned.
Gambian star Minteh whipped a nice cross onto the back post and Mitoma stretched out a leg to stay ahead of Noussair Mazrouai – who also crashed into the post.
It was no more than the visitors deserved and shortly afterwards it was game over thanks to another blast from Onana.
Yasin Ayari's low cross into the box should have been simple as he was under no pressure, but somehow he failed to hold on to it.
Rutter picked it up and had the simplest job of picking up the loose ball and rolling it into the empty net.
Back to square one for Amorim and United, after a 10th league defeat of this difficult season.
Setups
Man Utd XI: Maguire, Bruno Fernandes, Onana, Mazraoui, De Ligt, Dalot, Ugarte, Zirkzee, Amad Diallo Traore, Mainoo, Yoro
Subs: Eriksen, Casemiro, Altay Bayındır, Lisandro Martinez, Malacia, Antony, Garnacho, Højlund, Collyer
Brighton XI: Welbeck, Veltman, Dunk, Pervis Estupiñán, Kaoru Mitoma, Jan Paul van Hecke, Joao Pedro, Bart Verbruggen, Yasin Ayari, Carlos Baleba, Yankuba Minteh
Subs: Steele, Webster, March, Tariq Lamptey, Georginio Rutter, Julio Enciso, Diego Gómez, Simon Adingra, Ruairi McConville
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