Brighton have the edge in recent memory
The Seagulls are on quite the run against United, winning three straight meetings. But, overall, the Red Devils are the more consistent side in this matchup. Prior to that, Manchester was unbeaten in 12 games versus Brighton. They’ve also won eight and drawn once in their last nine against the South Coast outfit at Old Trafford.
Can United bounce back?
Erik ten Hag’s men haven’t exactly found much consistency thus far. The season opener was a controversial win against Wolves before a disappointing loss to Tottenham. United then came back from 2-0 to beat Nottingham Forest 3-2, which showed guts. Nevertheless, it hasn’t been a pretty start.
Things started out well against Arsenal, with Marcus Rashford bagging the opener on an impressive counter-attack which completely went against the run of play. The Gunners equalized just a minute later through Martin Odegaard and it did look like both teams would settle for a lone point. But, Declan Rice had other plans in injury time, smashing home the winner at the Emirates. Gabriel Jesus added another in the dying seconds to seal the deal.
On a more positive note, Man U is unbeaten on home soil this term, notching two victories. That’s certainly a good sign ahead of a very tough clash against a strong Brighton group. The Red Devils sit at a very slim +110 favorite here at 888sport.
Brighton Flying High
Three wins in four is more than respectable for the Seagulls, who will make their European debut later this month in Europa. The Seagulls have been firing on all cylinders in the final third, bagging 12 goals in four outings while conceding six times. Victories over Luton, Newcastle, and Wolves were all very convincing. The only slip-up was a defeat vs. West Ham on matchday three at London Stadium.
Last time out, Brighton absolutely hammered Champions League-bound Newcastle at home, with one man stealing the spotlight. Youngster Evan Ferguson was breathtaking in this match, scoring one of three hat-tricks on matchday four. The Irishman opened his account in the first half before hitting the back of the net two more times in the second period.
Despite losing Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister in the summer transfer window to Chelsea and Liverpool, respectively, Robert De Zerbi’s squad hasn’t missed a beat. They’re sixth in the table and have scored more goals than any other club in the English top flight. That’s got to mean something. Given their recent success against United, the Seagulls have a fantastic chance of finding a positive result come Saturday, despite most soccer betting sites labeling them as a slight underdog.
