Cristiano Ronaldo has experienced his biggest goal drought in almost 13 years after going without a hit in six straight league games.
But against Brighton came the long-awaited goal for the Portuguese.
At the start of the second half, he thundered in 1-0 at Old Trafford and celebrated wildly when the 2022 first tub was a fact.
When the guests after about an hour were careless in the back line, Lewis Dunk dropped the ball as the last man, hit Swedish Anthony Elanga - who was in the starting eleven - and arranged a red card on the Brighton player.
From there, United could control the match and also expand.
In stoppage time, Bruno Fernandes put 2-0 and shot the victory to the home team.
The victory takes the team to fourth place in the Premier League.
Victor Nilsson Lindelöf played the entire match.
Elanga was replaced a while from the end.