Brighton & Hove Albion welcome Manchester United to the Amex for their Premier League matchup on Thursday to get revenge for their FA Cup penalty shootout defeat.
Team Form
Brighton
After a midweek defeat to Nottingham Forest, Brighton manager De Zerbi made some unexpected changes to his starting lineup for their weekend against Wolves. The move paid off as Brighton secured a resounding 6-0 victory, showing that they are a force to be reckoned with.
Sitting just outside the European spots in eighth place, Brighton has a real chance to climb the table with as many as three games in hand on some of their rivals. Positive results in those games could see them overtake Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool to claim the fifth spot.
Although Brighton’s recent pattern of winning one and then losing one may worry some superstitious fans, the team has only failed to score in one of their last 21 Premier League matches.
Brighton PL Form: W L W L W
Man United
Unai Emery’s Aston Villa had been on a sensational run of scoring in every game, but that streak ended at Old Trafford. Man United emerged as the deserved winners with a hard-fought 1-0 victory.
This win was crucial for Man United, especially after throwing away a two-goal lead to draw with Tottenham Hotspur in their previous match. Erik ten Hag’s men managed to avoid a similar collapse this time, as they hold on to fourth place in the table, two points behind Newcastle United, who have played one more game.
While Ten Hag’s side is known for being a formidable force at home, their away form has been a cause for concern. They have only managed to win two out of seven Premier League away games in 2023.
Man United PL Form: W W W D W
Squad Report
Brighton
Jakub Moder, Tariq Lamptey, Jeremy Sarmiento, and Adam Lallana will all be unavailable for the match on Thursday night due to injury.
Additionally, Evan Ferguson, a talented teenage striker, is also nursing an ankle concern, and manager De Zerbi has stated that he will not take any unnecessary risks with him.
Although Brighton’s recent win over Wolves was almost perfect, there was one small blemish as Joel Veltman had to be substituted after 65 minutes due to an injury. However, De Zerbi is optimistic that Veltman’s issue is only minor, and he may be available for selection.
Man United
Unfortunately, there has been little progress in the treatment room for Man United, with several players remaining unavailable due to injuries. Donny van de Beek, Alejandro Garnacho, Tom Heaton, Phil Jones, Raphael Varane, and Lisandro Martinez will all miss out again.
Moreover, Scott McTominay is still struggling with a knock, and the Scotland international may not be risked for the match against Brighton and Hove Albion FC.
Brighton & Hove Albion’s expected starting lineup:
Steele; Gross, Colwill, Dunk, Estupinan; Caicedo, Mac Allister; March, Enciso, Mitoma; Welbeck
Manchester United’s expected starting lineup:
De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Shaw, Malacia; Casemiro; Fernandes, Sabitzer, Eriksen, Antony; Rashford
Head to Head
Brighton, Hove Albion FC, and Manchester United have faced each other 30 times in various competitions since 1909. Man United has the upper hand, leading the head-to-head record 20-5.
In the Premier League, Man United has won seven of the 11 matches against Brighton, while the Seagulls have managed to secure victory in four games.
Time, Date & Venue
Date: Thursday, May 04
Time: 08:00 pm, UK Time
Venue: Amex Stadium, Brighton
Prediction
The upcoming match between Brighton and Hove Albion FC and Manchester United is shaping to be another closely contested encounter, much like their previous FA Cup semi-final match.
