Brighton-Manchester United is a rematch of the 28th day of the Premier League and is played Thursday at 9 p.m.: TV, probable formations, predictions.
In the Premier League there are still several matches to be made up that could overturn the hierarchies in the race for Europe, and Brighton-Manchester United is one of them. Respectively eighth and fourth in the standings, the Seagulls and Red Devils were originally supposed to face each other last March but the match was postponed due to FA Cup commitments, a competition in which they would later – coincidentally – cross paths in the semifinals.
Two weeks ago at Wembley they needed penalty kicks (to the bitter end) to decide the winner of a very balanced but curiously ended white-net challenge. Manchester United came out on top. From the penalty spot Erik ten Hag’s men were perfect and took advantage of Solly March’s mistake to snatch the pass for the final-derby with Manchester City. Roberto De Zerbi’s team did not suffer the blow, bouncing back immediately after their elimination from the domestic cup and defeat at home to Nottingham Forest. Brighton’s response was a bombastic 6-0 win at hapless Wolverhampton, a veritable goal-fest in which the Seagulls once again reaffirmed their extraordinary offensive vocation. Since the Italian coach sits on the bench, in fact, they have become a goal machine. Europe, in spite of what the current standings tell us, is still within reach: Mac Allister and his teammates have to make up three games from sixth-placed Tottenham, which has only two more points.
How many absences for the two coaches
At home Brighton has not lost for four games in a row, and the last defeat was last February against Fulham. On the other hand, Manchester United is less effective away, having suffered six defeats away from Old Trafford, a full five more.
De Zerbi and ten Hag
Out of the Europa League and with a title already in their pocket, the Red Devils have only to try to blow the FA Cup away from their cousins and, above all, consolidate one of the last two Champions League spots (the first two are already awarded to Arsenal and City). They have made a comeback against Liverpool, which is now at -4 but compared to the Reds, United still has two more games to make up, including this one with Brighton. The last big hurdle for ten Hag, but one that the Dutch coach cannot afford to miss to avoid any bad jokes. In the Premier League meanwhile, Rashford and his teammates have not lost in five games, since the knockout with Newcastle. Always long is the list of unavailable players for the former Ajax coach, who has to do without two defensive pillars such as Varane and Lisandro Martinez, as well as van de Beek, Garnacho, Heaton, McTominay and Jones. In Brighton, on the other hand, Veltman and Ferguson are in doubt.
The Prediction
It will be Brighton who will do the match as they did in the FA Cup, all the more so considering that the Seagulls must necessarily try to win to get closer to Europe. In any case, De Zerbi’s team should avoid defeat in a match that, unlike the one at Wembley, could provide entertainment: at least three goals in total are expected.
The probable lineups of Brighton-Manchester United
- BRIGHTON (4-2-3-1): Steele; Gross, Colwill, Dunk, Estupinan; Caicedo, Mac Allister; March, Enciso, Mitoma; Welbeck.
- MANCHESTER UNITED (4-1-4-1): De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Shaw, Malacia; Casemiro; Bruno Fernandes, Sabitzer, Eriksen, Antony; Rashford.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-2
