Preview: Manchester United v Brighton & Hove Albion; Kick-off: November 25, 15:00; Venue: Old Trafford; Referee: Neil Swarbrick
Manchester United will attempt to close the gap on Premier League leaders Manchester City to five points when they welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon.
The gap from first to second currently sits at eight points, but with City not in action until they visit Huddersfield Town on Sunday afternoon, United can close the gap when they take on Brighton at the Theatre of Dreams.
United bounced back from the 1-0 defeat at Chelsea before the international break with a 4-1 win over Newcastle United in the Premier League last weekend. Paul Pogba made a scoring return to the team, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic also featured as the Red Devils welcomed two key players back into the fold.
The win over Newcastle means that United have collected 26 points in the Premier League this season, although just four points currently separate Jose Mourinho’s side from seventh-placed Burnley after 12 matches of the 2017-18 campaign.
United have won all six of their home Premier League games this season – scoring 19 times and conceding just once. They have not lost at home in the league since September 2016, and have been victorious in all nine of their fixtures at Old Trafford in all competitions this term.
They will enter the match off the back of a shock 1-0 defeat at Basel in the Champions League, however, which means that Mourinho’s side are still waiting to book their spot in the round of 16. They are almost there though, with only an incredible turnaround in their final game against CSKA Moscow next month preventing the Red Devils from making the last 16.
It is a big few weeks for United as they prepare to visit Watford and Arsenal in their two Premier League games after this one, before the small matter of the Manchester derby against City on December 10. Mourinho will be aware of the cost of a derby defeat, but United must stay in touch with Pep Guardiola’s side ahead of that match in little over two weeks.
Saturday will bring just the 17th meeting between United and Brighton, and the Red Devils have only lost once – a 1-0 defeat in November 1982. Their last match-up occurred in the FA Cup during the 1992-93 campaign, with United recording a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford.
Brighton, however, will enter the match full of confidence after an impressive start to the season. Indeed, a record of four wins, four draws and four defeats has brought Chris Hughton’s side 16 points, which has left them in ninth position in the Premier League table.
Since losing 2-0 at Arsenal on October 1, the Seagulls are unbeaten in five. They have drawn with Everton, Southampton and Stoke City in recent weeks, in addition to winning away at West Ham United and Swansea City.
Team news
United boss Mourinho confirmed at his pre-match press conference that Eric Bailly and Phil Jones would again miss out through injury.
Victor Lindelof should return alongside Chris Smalling at centre-back, while David de Gea, Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young will also be recalled after sitting out the defeat at Basel on Wednesday night.
Juan Mata is also pushing for a return to the team, and the Spaniard should join Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford behind Romelu Lukaku as Ibrahimovic prepares to feature from the bench once again.
As for Brighton, Steve Sidwell is their only absentee, meaning that Hughton could select the same XI that drew 2-2 with Stoke on Monday night.
Pascal Gross has scored three times and contributed five assists in the Premier League this season, and is again expected to support lone forward Glenn Murray, who has four goals in his last four matches during an impressive run of form.
Lewis Dunk, meanwhile, will be looking to make an impression at Old Trafford as the centre-back looks to build on what has been a strong start to the season.
Expected starting lineups
United: De Gea; Valencia, Lindelof, Smalling, Young; Pogba, Matic; Martial, Mata, Martial; Lukaku
Brighton: Ryan; Bruno, Duffy, Dunk, Bong; Knockaert, Stephens, Propper, Izquierdo; Gross; Murray
Did you know?
United have won seven successive Premier League games at Old Trafford, which is their best run of form on home soil since a 12-match streak during the 2012-13 season.
Prediction
United were impressive against Newcastle last weekend, and will be fired up for this match after their disappointing defeat in Switzerland on Wednesday night.
Brighton will bring a five-game unbeaten run to Old Trafford, but the Seagulls have already lost against City and Arsenal this season, and will find it extremely difficult to pick up a positive result from Old Trafford.
Score prediction
Manchester United 3-0 Brighton & Hove Albion
