Brighton vs Man Utd Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 English Premier League
Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!
31-year-old Fabian Hurzeler started his Brighton and Hove Albion career with an impressive 3-0 victory at Goodison Park against Everton, whilst it was same old Manchester United as a lacklustre performance needed a late winner to edge past Fulham at Old Trafford.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday 24th August, 2024 - UK – 12:30pm / US ET – 7:30am / US PT – 4:30am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Not televised
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – TNT Sports app / US – Peacock, Fubo, Sling Blue, DirecTV Stream
BRIGHTON PREVIEW: SEAGULLS SOARING
It was a brilliant start to life as the Premier League’s youngest ever permanent manager for Fabian Hurzeler as Brighton and Hove Albion ran riot at Everton, albeit the Toffees did have their chances in the first-half. Kaoru Mitoma opened the scoring for the Seagulls before half-time and that then set the tone for the second 45 minutes.
With Dominic Calvert-Lewin having a penalty overturned when VAR revealed he had actually trodden on the leg of Lewis Dunk before goals from Danny Welbeck and Simon Adingra turned the game into a rout with Yasin Ayari having a late fourth goal disallowed because the Swedish midfielder had strayed offside before finishing.
MAN UTD PREVIEW: NOTHING HAS REALLY CHANGED
Despite the arrival of four new signings such as Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro and Noussair Mazraoui; only the latter started for Erik ten Hag in Manchester United’s opener. It was another disjointed performance in which chances were few and the threat of being caught on the counter-attack only avoided by Fulham being poor and imprecise in possession.
Then, though, as was so often the case last season, the Red Devils struck late on and, as ever, managed to ‘find a way’. One of those aforementioned new signings, Joshua Zirkzee, came off the bench to start an attack and then finish it well in the 87th minute with an excellent and deft finish beyond Bernd Leno.
BRIGHTON TEAM NEWS: MINTEH AVAILABLE
After an impressive and exciting start to his debut, Gambian winger Yankuba Minteh was forced off due to the concussion protocol but he is fit and available to play this weekend for the visit of United.
Jack Hinshelwood returned from injury to start ahead of Valentin Barco last weekend and Hurzeler didn't comment on speculation that Barco could leave the club this weekend.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Steele; Veltman, Van Hecke, Dunk, Hinshelwood; Milner, Wieffer; Minteh, Joao Pedro, Mitoma; Welbeck
UNAVAILABLE: Verbruggen (Injured), March (Injured), Julio Enciso (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Lamptey (Injured), Pervis Estupinan (Injured), Ferguson (Injured)
MAN UTD TEAM NEWS: UNSURE ON LINDELOF AND SANCHO
Erik ten Hag has suggested that Victor Lindelof is dealing with a toe injury but there are rumours of his exit, whilst Jadon Sancho, also linked with a move away, was suffering from an ear infection on the opening day of the campaign.
Matthijs de Ligt made his debut off the bench last week but the impressive performances of both Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire mean he will likely once again be a substitute.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Onana; Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez, Diogo Dalot; Casemiro, Mainoo; Alejandro Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford; Zirkzee
UNAVAILABLE: Yoro (Injured), Lindelof (Injured), Malacia (Injured), Shaw (Injured), Hojlund (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Sancho (Injured)
BRIGHTON VS MAN UTD PREDICTION
The performance of Brighton on opening day was an excellent one. Perhaps reasons to be slightly concerned by how many chances they gave up in the first-half but that may not actually concern them as they take on a Manchester United side that, like last season, struggled to create anything clear cut. Based on the opening day performances of both sides, there is good value to be had in siding with the hosts for this one at the AMEX Stadium.
BRIGHTON VS MAN UTD TIP: DOUBLE CHANCE – BRIGHTON TO WIN OR DRAW
