Preview:Manchester United vs Brighton & Hove Albion - prediction, team news, lineups

Seeking to win three Premier League matches in a row, Manchester United welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to Old Trafford on Saturday evening.

The Red Devils and the Seagulls butt heads for the first time since January when the latter secured a 3-1 top-flight away victory against the former.

Match preview

Man United have been down in the dumps for prolonged periods this term, but they are currently in buoyant mood after winning back-to-back Premier League games for the first time under head coach Ruben Amorim - 11 months on from his appointment - and for the first time since winning their final two matches of the 2023-24 season and their opening fixture of the 2024-25 campaign.

The Red Devils followed up their deserved 2-0 home victory over Sunderland with a surprise 2-1 triumph away against a floundering Liverpool outfit last weekend, with goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire securing the club’s first win at Anfield since the days of Louis van Gaal in 2016.

Victory against the reigning champions was a big moment for Amorim, who has been afforded three years to prove himself at Old Trafford by minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe and has seen his Man United side climb to ninth in the Premier League table, just three points behind rivals Man City in second.

Man United will welcome a return to Old Trafford where they have won each of their last three Premier League home games against Sunderland, Chelsea and Burnley, as many as in their previous 13 matches in front of their own fans (D2 L8). The Red Devils last won more consecutively between April and August 2023 (eight), though that run was snapped by a 3-1 defeat to Brighton.

Indeed, the 20-time English top-flight champions have struggled to get the better of Brighton in recent years, losing six of their last seven league meetings (W1), which is double the amount they had lost against the Seagulls in their first 17 league encounters (W12 D2 L3).

Since losing 2-1 at Bournemouth in mid-September, Brighton have alternated between drawing and winning across their last four Premier League matches, with 3-1 and 2-1 victories against Chelsea and Newcastle respectively taking place during this run.

Danny Welbeck - formerly of Man United - took centre stage against the Magpies as he scored twice, including an 84th-minute winner, to secure all three points for the Seagulls, who currently sit 10th in the top-flight standings and just one point behind the Red Devils in ninth spot.

Despite winning three of their eight Premier League matches this season, as well as boasting leads in two of their three draws (L2), Fabian Hurzeler’s side have spent a lower share of their game time winning (24.1%) than any other match state this term (38.1% losing, 37.8% drawing).

Keeping the ball out of their own net has been a problem for Brighton for some time, as the Seagulls have kept just one clean sheet in their last 20 Premier League matches - a 2-0 win at Wolves in May. Having said that, Brighton have only lost two of their last 13 top-flight fixtures (W7 D4).

Hurzeler and co will fancy their chances of success on Saturday, as they have won each of their last three Premier League away encounters with Man United; the last side to collect maximum points in more consecutive league visits to Old Trafford were Man City between 1968 and 1972 (five).

Manchester United Premier League form:

W L W L W W

Brighton & Hove Albion Premier League form:

W L D W D W

Brighton & Hove Albion form (all competitions):

L D W W D W

Team News

Saturday’s contest will come too soon for Man United defender Lisandro Martinez, but he has made progress in his recovery from a serious knee injury sustained in February, while Harry Maguire and Mason Mount are both doubtful with knocks.

Leny Yoro will likely deputise in the back three alongside Matthijs de Ligt and Luke Shaw if Maguire is not fit to start, while Amorim will weigh up whether to stick with Amad Diallo and Diogo Dalot as wing-backs or recall Patrick Dorgu to play on the left.

Benjamin Sesko, who scored in back-to-back PL games before being benched against Liverpool, could return to the starting lineup at the expense of Mount, and he could be supported in attack by Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, the latter has only contributed to more PL goals against Southampton (eight) than he has against Brighton (six - three goals, three assists).

As for Brighton, Solly March, Adam Webster (both knee) and Jack Hinshelwood (ankle) all remain sidelined with injuries, while Kaoru Mitoma (ankle), Joel Veltman (calf) and Brajan Gruda (knee) will all be assessed ahead of kickoff. However, Diego Gomez has shaken off a hip problem and is available to start this weekend.

Maxim De Cuyper will likely battle Ferdi Kadioglu for a start at left-back, but if Mitoma is not fit to start, then the Belgian could be deployed further forward in the same left-wing role where he played as a substitute in the Seagulls’ win over Newcastle.

Carlos Baleba, who has been heavily linked with a move to Man United, is in contention to start in midfield, while Welbeck - who has scored four goals in his last three Premier League matches - could be joined in attack by Georginio Rutter and Yankuba Minteh.

Manchester United possible starting lineup:

Lammens; De Ligt, Maguire, Shaw; Amad, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dalot; Mbeumo, Cunha; Sesko

Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:

Verbruggen; Wieffer, Dunk, Van Hecke, Kadioglu; Baleba, Ayari; Minteh, Rutter, De Cuyper; Welbeck

We say: Manchester United 3-2 Brighton & Hove Albion

Goals are to be expected at Old Trafford this weekend. While both teams have scored in seven of Brighton’s opening eight Premier League games this season, the net has rippled at both ends in five of Man United’s eight matches thus far.

The Seagulls have a strong record on the red side of Manchester and recent wins over Newcastle and Chelsea should give them confidence heading into this one, but Amorim’s men are riding a wave of momentum and we feel that they will edge an entertaining, end-to-end contest.

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