One of the standout ties of the FA Cup Third Round comes at Old Trafford as Man United take on Brighton in an all-Premier League clash.
United remain in a period of transition following Ruben Amorim’s sudden departure, with Darren Fletcher taking charge after a 2-2 draw at Burnley in midweek. Brighton travel north full of confidence after holding Man City to a 1-1 draw, showing their ability to compete against the best.
Here’s a full betting preview from AllSportsPeople with predictions, odds and top tips for the FA Cup clash.
Man Utd vs. Brighton prediction: Who will win?
Manchester United should edge this FA Cup tie despite their recent instability. Brighton arrive in good form, but United’s home advantage and attacking quality could prove decisive in a well-matched contest. We can't see a repeat of the 4-2 win from October — a narrow win is the likelier outcome.
Our Prediction: Man United 2-1 Brighton (15/2 Bet365)
Head-to-Head: Man United vs. Brighton
- Brighton have been eliminated from the FA Cup by Manchester United six times, more than against any other opponent.
- Manchester United beat Brighton 4-2 at Old Trafford earlier this season and also edged them on penalties in the 2023 FA Cup semi final at Wembley.
- Brighton have enjoyed recent league success at Old Trafford, winning three of their last four visits and scoring 10 goals in that run.
- Overall head to head record favours Manchester United, who have 22 wins compared to Brighton’s nine, with five draws between the sides.
Man United vs. Brighton Form Guide
Man United - Last 5 Matches (All Competitions)
- Burnley 2-2 Manchester United (Premier League)
- Leeds United 1-1 Manchester United (Premier League)
- Manchester United 1-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers (Premier League)
- Manchester United 1-0 Newcastle United (Premier League)
- Aston Villa 2-1 Manchester United (Premier League)
Brighton - Last 5 matches (All Competitions)
- Manchester City 1-1 Brighton & Hove Albion (Premier League)
- Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0 Burnley (Premier League)
- West Ham United 2-2 Brighton & Hove Albion (Premier League)
- Arsenal 2-1 Brighton & Hove Albion (Premier League)
- Brighton & Hove Albion 0-0 Sunderland (Premier League)
Man United vs. Brighton Betting Tips
Manchester United hold a slight edge in the betting markets thanks to home advantage, making a narrow win an appealing option.
Goals should feature heavily, as both sides prefer attacking football and have conceded regularly in recent outings, which supports the over 2.5 goals and both teams to score markets. Zirkzee also stands out as a value anytime scorer (23/10 Virgin Bet) likely to start having come off the bench at Burnley.
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Man United vs. Brighton Team News, Injury Latest
Man United Team News
- Matthijs de Ligt remains sidelined through injury and is United’s only confirmed absentee.
- Amad Diallo, Bryan Mbeumo and Noussair Mazraoui are unavailable due to Africa Cup of Nations duty.
- Bruno Fernandes, Mason Mount, Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire all returned from injury in the 2-2 draw with Burnley.
- Maguire could start after being an unused substitute last time out, potentially alongside Leny Yoro in central defence.
- Interim boss Fletcher is expected to stick with a 4-2-3-1 system after moving away from Ruben Amorim’s back three.
Brighton Team News
- Carlos Baleba is unavailable due to Cameroon’s ongoing AFCON campaign.
- Stefanos Tzimas remains out long term with an ACL injury.
- Mats Wieffer, Solly March and Adam Webster are also sidelined.
- Joel Veltman and Charalampos Kostoulas are pushing to be fit after recent knocks.
- Yankuba Minteh remains a doubt after picking up a dead leg, with rotation expected for the trip to Old Trafford.
Man United vs. Brighton Predicted Lineups
Here’s how we expect Manchester United and Brighton to line up for their upcoming clash, with both sides likely to rotate slightly after a heavy schedule of Premier League football. We think Shea Lacey might be given a start with Patrick Dorgu reverting to left back.
Man United predicted lineup to play Brighton
Manchester United (4-2-3-1)
Bayindir; Dalot, Yoro, Maguire, Dorgu; Mainoo, Ugarte; Lacey, Fernandes, Cunha; Zirkzee
- Out: Matthijs de Ligt
- Unavailable: Amad Diallo, Bryan Mbeumo, Noussair Mazraoui (AFCON)
Brighton predicted lineup to play Man United
Brighton & Hove Albion (4-2-3-1)
Steele (GK); Veltman, Dunk, Boscagli, De Cuyper; Milner, Gross; Mitoma, Gomez, Watson; Welbeck
- Out: Stefanos Tzimas, Mats Wieffer, Solly March, Adam Webster
- Doubtful: Yankuba Minteh
- Unavailable: Carlos Baleba (AFCON)
Man United vs. Brighton Odds
The latest betting odds for Man United vs. Brighton with best prices available on AK Bets.
| Result | Best Odds |
| Man United | 10/11 |
| Brighton | 11/4 |
| Draw | 16/5 |
Bet Builder Tips: Man United vs. Brighton
Our bet builder for Man United vs. Brighton is Both Teams to Score, Man United to Win and Joshua Zirkzee to score anytime, which was priced at 5/1 with Ladbrokes at the time of writing.
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How to watch Man United vs. Brighton: Live stream, TV channel
Here's all the key information on how to watch Man United vs. Brighton on Sunday afternoon:
- Date: Sunday, 11 January
- Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester
- Time: 4:30 p.m GMT
- TV/Stream: TNT Sports 1