Manchester United -v- Brighton and Hove Albion
Emirates FA Cup
Old Trafford, Manchester
Sunday 11th January 2025; KO 16:30 GMT
Manchester United welcome Brighton and Hove Albion to the Theatre of Dreams on Sunday afternoon in the third round of the Emirates FA Cup. Darren Fletcher will be leading United into his second match as caretaker manager, which may also be his last before he returns to the U18 squad at the club. United want to win.
Beating Brighton on Sunday at Old Trafford will drive the club forward and get them away from three darts on the bounce – two of which to the bottom two teams in the Premier League this season – one arguable the worst of the Premier League era. Fletcher will be motivated to get United into Monday’s round four FA Cup draw.
Manchester United Top Scorers & Assists
⚽️ 7 – Bryan Mbeumo, 5 – Bruno Fernandes, 4 – Casemiro, Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko, 3 – Mason Mount, 2 – Amad, Harry Maguire, Joshua Zirkzee, 1 – Diogo Dalot, Mathijs de Ligt, Patrick Dorgu
🅰️ 8 – Bruno Fernandes, 3 – Amad, Patrick Dorgu, 2 – Diogo Dalot, 1 – Casemiro, Matheus Cunha, Ayden Heaven, Harry Maguire, Kobbie Mainoo, Bryan Mbeumo, Mason Mount, Benjamin Sesko, Luke Shaw, Leny Yoro, Joshua Zirkzee
Brighton Top Scorers & Assists
⚽️ 8 – Diego Gómez, Danny Welbeck, 3 – Yasin Ayari, Stefanos Tzimas, Jan Paul van Hecke, 2 – Maxim De Cuyper, Brajan Gruda, Kaoru Mitoma, Georginio Rutter, 1 – Olivier Boscagli, Jack Hinshelwood, Harry Howell, Charalampos Kostoulas, James Milner, Yankuba Minteh, Matt O’Riley, Tom Watson, Joël Veltman
🅰️ 4 – Yankuba Minteh, 3 – Georginio Rutter, Tom Watson, Mats Wieffer, 2 – Diego Coppola, Brajan Gruda, Jack Hinshelwood, Harry Howell, Stefanos Tzimas, 1 – Yasin Ayari, Charalampos Kostoulas, James Milner, Kaoru Mitoma, Jan Paul van Hecke, Joël Veltman, Danny Welbeck
Predicted Manchester United XI:
Lammens;
Dalot, Yoro, Martinez, Shaw;
Mainoo, Casemiro;
Cunha, Fernandes, Dorgu;
Sesko
Predicted Brighton XI:
Verbruggen;
Hinshelwood, van Hecke, Dunk, De Cuyper;
Ayari, Groß;
Kadioglu, Gómez, Mitoma;
Rutter
Goalkeeper: Senne Lammens
Senne Lammens should keep his position as United number one for his first FA Cup outing. The Belgian is the best goalkeeper at the club currently and United should stick with him as despite goals being conceded, he has done more that Altay Bayindir or indeed Andre Onana – which is the main reason to keep picking him.
The Belgian came to the club with a lot to prove and in some terms hue has proven himself as a goalkeeper worthy of keeping his place at the club, which has not been said since David De Gea was at the club. United have made so many mistakes with goalkeepers over the year – too many to mention. Lammens is not one.
Defence: Diogo Dalot, Leny Yoro, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw
The United defence is getting stronger now that Harry Maguire is back from injury but his return to action will be managed, so ensure he does not suffer an injury so soon after recovering from one. It is likely he will be on the bench against Brighton. Diogo Dalot and Luke Shaw should start as the full backs though.
In the centre of the back four, Leny Yoro should be recalled to the starting XI and Ayden Heaven moving to a place on the bench – just to keep the squad fresh for the matches that are to come in the next three weeks – Manchester City and Arsenal. Lisandro Martinez should keep his place in the defensive line too.
Midfield: Kobbie Mainoo, Casemiro
United’s midfield could change this weekend with Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo playing together. Many people feel that Mainoo should be playing ahead of Bruno Fernandes, which is a wild belief to be fair – but those people are out there. Mainoo can now play in the midfield and show what he can do for United.
Should he not aspire to much, it will reflect on his brother, who wore the ‘Free Kobbie Mainoo’ T-Shirt at Old Trafford in the past month or so. Mainoo has talent and now he will need to show it. He did not fit into Rubem Amorim’s plans but if he wants to remain at Old Trafford, he will need to force himself into United’s plans.
Attacking Midfield: Matheus Cunha, Bruno Fernandes, Patrick Dorgu
United’s attacking line has some strength in it again, which will get stronger with the liked of Bryan Mbeumo and Amad when they get back from the AFCON tournament. Until then, United have the available players, which are strong enough to get a win over Brighton in the FA Cup this season. That is what they need to do.
Matheus Cunha should be starting, whether he plays on the left wing or the right wing. Patrick Dorgu also needs to be starting, playing on whichever wing Cunha is not playing on. In the centre of the two wingers, Bruno Fernandes should be able to start, aiming to get more than the 60 minutes he got against Burnley.
Striker: Benjamin Sesko
Benjamin Sesko doubled his goals against Burnley in midweek, raising his tally to four goals this season. The striker needs to keep scoring now that he has some service and there will be no excuses for him or United. It is clear that Ruben Amorim was not to blame and that the problems lie in the ownership of the club.
But certain supporters will believe the reports of the manager being to blame and will once again forget about the owners and look at the manager as the problem – despite the same problem arising since Sir Alex Ferguson retired back in May 2013. Sesko will need to fire United to something this season. They need it badly.
Substitutes: Altay Bayindir; Harry Maguire, Tyrell Malacia, Ayden Heaven; Mason Mount, Manuel Ugarte, Jack Fletcher; Joshua Zirkzee, Shea Lacey
United will have nine players on the bench against Brighton in the FA Cup. Altay Bayindir will be the goalkeeper on the bench. In defence, Harry Maguire, Tyrell Malacia and Ayden Heaven could all find themselves on the bench with Maguire being put back into the squad slowly following injury.
In midfield, Mason Mount, Manuel Ugarte and Jack Fletcher could be the only midfielders on the bench against Brighton. In attack, want away forward Joshua Zirkzee will remain on the bench along with up and coming forward Shea Lacey, who did well when he came on against Burnley in midweek.
Match Prediction
United will have to get out of the draw mentality which seems to have infected the Old Trafford club of late. Drawing against both Wolves and Burnley – the bottom two teams in the Premier League table is a terrible situation to be in – those four points dropped could mean something at the end of the season.
Fletcher will need to find a way for United to get the better of Brighton as an exit from the FA Cup in the third round of the competition will be another poor memory for United this season. There needs to be something for the club to play for and the FA Cup has to be it this season. United needs a win and a good one!
Manchester United 2-1 Brighton and Hove Albion
Written by Paul
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