Brighton & Hove Albion welcome Manchester United to the Amex Stadium on Saturday lunchtime, with both clubs seeking to build on their opening-weekend victories in the Premier League.
The two teams meet just over three months after concluding the previous top-flight campaign on the South Coast, where the Red Devils secured a 2-0 win thanks to goals from Diogo Dalot and Rasmus Hojlund.
Match preview
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Many would have thought that Brighton may need time to find their feet under the tutelage of new head coach Fabian Hurzeler, but they began the 2024-25 campaign with a bang as they cruised to a 3-0 victory away against 10-man Everton last weekend.
Kaoru Mitoma's first-half opener was followed by a brilliant second goal from Danny Welbeck just before the hour mark. Substitute Simon Adingra then rubbed salt into Everton's wounds by netting a third in the closing stages, and it could have ended up 4-0 to the Seagulls had Yasin Ayari not drifted a yard offside before tapping home from close range.
At the age of just 31, Hurzeler is the youngest Premier League manager in history and although he was thrilled to kick-start his reign in style, the German intends to 'stay humble' and has acknowledged that he is keen to get advice from senior players including 38-year-old James Milner, who has begun his record 23rd season as a Premier League player.
Brighton's fast start to the new campaign comes after they registered four wins from four pre-season matches by an aggregate score of 14-3, including a thumping 4-0 victory over La Liga outfit Villarreal at the Amex Stadium.
The Seagulls may have lost to Man United on home soil last season, but they have won each of their other four matches across a stretch of five Premier League meetings, including a 4-0 home win in May 2022 and an equally memorable 3-1 victory at Old Trafford in September last year, so there is reason for Hurzeler and co to be optimistic of success on Saturday.
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Six days after losing on penalties to rivals Manchester City in the Community Shield, Man United left it late to claim all three points in a slender 1-0 victory over Fulham at Old Trafford in the opening match of the new Premier League season last Friday.
The Red Devils gradually grew into the closely-fought contest after a sluggish start and had summer signing Joshua Zirkzee to thank, as he came off the substitutes' bench to slot home the match-winner three minutes from time.
Manager Erik ten Hag believes that success over Fulham will 'strengthen the belief and confidence' within his team and has encouraged his players to continue improving as the season progresses if they wish to fulfil their targets.
Before facing Liverpool, Southampton, Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur in September, Man United will conclude the month of August with Saturday's trip to Brighton and will endeavour to win their first two games in a Premier League season for the first time since 2017-18.
Success is not a given at the Amex Stadium, though, as the Red Devils have lost 43% of their previous 14 Premier League encounters with the Seagulls - their highest loss rate against any opponent in the division's history.
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Team News
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Brighton are set to be without Solly March, Julio Enciso (both knee), Bart Verbruggen and Igor Julio (both unspecified) as they continue to recover from injury, while Evan Ferguson (foot), Pervis Estupinan (ankle) and Tariq Lamptey (unspecified) have all taken part in training and will be assessed ahead of kickoff.
Hurzeler has confirmed that Yankuba Minteh is available for selection after coming off on the stroke of half time of his debut against Everton last weekend due to concussion protocols; Adingra and £25m winger Brajan Gruda are both waiting in the wings if needed to start on the right flank.
While Valentin Barco has joined Sevilla on loan, Brighton's £40m club-record signing Georginio Rutter is in contention to make his debut after joining from Leeds United on Tuesday, but he will likely begin as a substitute as Joao Pedro provides support in attack for ex-Man United striker Welbeck.
As for the Red Devils, Luke Shaw (calf), Tyrell Malacia (knee), Leny Yoro (foot) and Rasmus Hojlund (hamstring) all remain sidelined, as does Victor Lindelof who is nursing a toe injury.
Ten Hag could be tempted to stick with the same back four of Noussair Mazraoui, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez and Diogo Dalot that kept a clean sheet against Fulham, but new signing Matthijs de Ligt will be pushing to make his full debut at centre-back at the expense of Maguire.
Zirkzee will likely be rewarded for scoring his first Man United goal as a substitute last time out with a start against Brighton, meaning Bruno Fernandes would drop back into his favoured number 10 role as Mason Mount takes a place on the substitutes' bench. Alejandro Garnacho, meanwhile, could be recalled ahead of either Amad Diallo or Marcus Rashford to start on either flank.
Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:
Steele; Veltman, Van Hecke, Dunk, Hinshelwood; Milner, Wieffer; Minteh, Pedro, Mitoma; Welbeck
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Onana; Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez, Dalot; Casemiro, Mainoo; Amad, Fernandes, Garnacho; Zirkzee
We say: Brighton & Hove Albion 2-2 Manchester United
Brighton head into their first home match of the new season in buoyant mood following their comfortable win at Everton, and their recent record against Man United should provide them with an additional psychological boost.
The Seagulls could prove to be a tricker opponent for Man United than Fulham, but the Red Devils themselves will likely pose a sterner test to Hurzeler's men than Everton. With both teams possessing threats in the final third, we can see an entertaining score draw being played out at the Amex Stadium.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Oliver Thomas
