Man Utd v Brighton predictions: Improving Brighton could rock United

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Manchester United v Brighton in the Premier League on Sunday.

Where to watch

BT Sport 1, 7.30pm Sunday

Best bet

Both teams to score
1pt Evs Hills

Team news

Manchester United
Victor Lindelof and Anthony Martial are doubtful but Paul Pogba is fit to make his comeback after two months out. David de Gea could return in goal.

Brighton
Aaron Connolly should be fit, despite picking up a calf issue on international duty, but the game comes too soon for Adam Webster. Percy Tau, Solly March and Tariq Lamptey are unavailable.

Match preview

Stats darlings Brighton have finally started to generate that most important of metrics, Premier League points, and they can give Manchester United plenty of food for thought at Old Trafford on Sunday night.

If the table was based purely on results from 2021, the Seagulls would be eighth and they head into this game hopeful that the international break won’t have dissipated the confidence they gained from back-to-back wins in March.

United needed a Bruno Fernandes penalty, bizarrely taken after the full-time whistle had been blown, to see off Brighton 3-2 in the reverse fixture, a game that Graham Potter’s men had dominated, hitting the woodwork four times. The Sussex side have been more accurate in recent matches and United’s run of four consecutive clean sheets in the league should come to an end.

Brighton were in fine form in front of goal a fortnight ago, putting Newcastle to the sword 3-0 to move on to 32 points, six clear of the relegation zone.

With the 40-point mark now within sight, Potter has talked about a renewed belief in a squad whose results haven’t matched up with their underlying stats until recently.

Were the Premier League standings based on expected points Brighton would be fifth, with their home form the main reason why they are actually stuck down in 16th.

Their performances on the road have been better and United need to be on their guard against a side who have triumphed at Anfield, Villa Park and Elland Road.

A first win at Old Trafford at the 13th time of asking would be the crowning glory of their road adventures but that might be slightly beyond Brighton with United proving a tough nut to crack.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have lost just one of their last 23 Premier League games, keeping them firmly on track to finish best of the rest behind Manchester City in the standings.

While Solskjaer is on course to deliver Champions League football this season, silverware could be a little harder to come by after their FA Cup ambitions were ended by Leicester before the international break.

The Foxes were worth 3-1 winners that day as the Norwegian manager's decision to shuffle his pack backfired, but United have responded well to the defeat this season and haven’t lost consecutive games since November.

Meetings between these teams have a habit of being high-scoring, averaging more than three goals per game, while both sides have netted in four of the last five league encounters.

Brighton have failed to net only twice in their last seven away league games, one of those blanks coming at West Brom, where they inexplicably missed two penalties.

Having had better luck in front of goal recently, the Seagulls have what it takes to at least make United sweat in their pursuit of three points.

Key stat

Both teams to score has landed in four of the teams' last five meetings.

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