Manchester United FC vs Brighton & Hove Albion, Premier League 2020-2021, Today Match Prediction

Manchester United FC vs Brighton & Hove Albion Match Prediction & Analysis

With City jetting off into the distance, Manchester United’s remaining aim of the season, at least as far as the league is concerned, is to secure 2nd position in their final nine matches.

Just one point is the lead over 3rd place Leicester, though with the Foxes losing their game against City, United now have a fine opportunity to move further in front, therefore cementing their place.

Although they crashed out of the FA Cup before the International break, United’s league form has been good of late, winning three of the last five and losing just once in their last 23 league fixtures.

Brighton have also been impressive of late, and could win three consecutive games for the first time since 2018. They’ve pulled six points clear of the bottom three, and will now be feeling quietly confident of staying up this season.

There is plenty at stake for both sides here.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Manchester United FC Preview

Form Guide (all comps): WDWWL

Reasons to be cheerful:

     Great opportunity to secure 2nd place

     Won their last five meetings with Brighton

Reasons to be fearful:

     Focus could already be on their Europa League fixture in midweek

     Brighton caused them big problems in their game earlier this season

United are a much more solid team than they were at the start of the season, when they lost two of their first three matches. 

Their first win of the season came against Brighton, though it was certainly not a deserved victory. The winning goal was a penalty scored after the full time whistle, thanks to a controversial VAR decision, and Brighton caused them no end of trouble by hitting the frame of the goal on several occasions.

United have improved for sure since then, and for a time topped the table at the start of 2021. With just one defeat from their last 23 league outings, they have proved hard to beat even if they do lack a little spark going forward at times.

Here, Rashford and Greenwood should be fit to play, although Martial and Lindelof will be forced to sit out through injury.

Star Man – Bruno Fernandes 

Scored the winner when the two sides met earlier this season, and has 39 goal contributions in 43 appearances.

Brighton & Hove Albion Preview

Form Guide (all comps): LLLWW

Reasons to be cheerful:

     Consecutive victories have boosted chance of survival

     Five of their seven victories this season have come away from home

Reasons to be fearful:

     Have never won at Old Trafford after 12 attempts

     Struggled to score enough goals to win games this season

Those two victories before the International break have done wonders for Brighton’s survival chances this season, moving them six points ahead of the relegation zone with nine games remaining.

It would take a huge collapse for both Fulham and Newcastle to overtake them now. That being said, they’ll want to secure their place in the league for next season as soon as possible and will use their victory over Liverpool earlier in the campaign as inspiration.

They gave United such a run around earlier in the season, and they’ll surely be out for revenge here. They’ll know that United’s home form has been inconsistent for much of the campaign, and even though they’ve never beaten them away from home, they can cause plenty of problems here.

Star Man – Leandro Trossard

Was the star of the show and ran United ragged earlier in the season. He scored in the recent win over Newcastle, too.

MANCHESTER UNITED FC vs BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION
Winning Prediction

     United are favourites based on form

     However, could be a tight match with quality on both sides

     First goal could shape the game

If United manage to score early here, it could settle them down having been disappointing at Old Trafford at times this season.

The longer it stays at 0-0, the more Brighton will go into the game, and if United allow the likes of Trossard to dictate the game, they could be in for a long afternoon. Danny Welbeck will want to grab a goal against his old team, too.

United are expected to claim three points, but it’s not a certainty.

Manchester United to win 2-1

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