Game Week 5 Predictions: Brighton to trouble United at Old Trafford

Kaoru Mitoma will be a handful for Manchester United on Saturday when Brighton travels Old Trafford. (Photo credit: GOAL)

 Manchester United vs. Brighton

Old Trafford

3:00pm

Brighton has firmly become a team to dread, and anyone facing them, home or away, should be well prepared. Manchester United must be terrified.

The Seagulls have won three of their four games so far, with the home loss to West Ham coming as a rude shock, but Roberto Di Zerbi’s side made light work of Newcastle just before the break, with Evan Ferguson bagging his first senior hat-trick.

Manchester United lies 11^th on the log after losing 3-1 to Arsenal before the international break. It was a game that looked like it was swinging the way of the visitors, with Alejandro Garnacho firing past Aaron Ramsdale, but the cold hands of the VAR clawed back the goal.

Declan Rice fired past Andre Onana, and Gabriel Jesus sent Diogo Dalot to get sandwiches before sliding past the Cameroonian goalkeeper. Lessons from the game for United should be about bravery and courage; they weren’t daring enough against Arsenal.

Brighton is strangely the favourite in a game between them and Manchester United at Old Trafford. It is what it is; the Seagulls will not change their style to accommodate anyone, and the hosts must be ready to contain their free-flowing football.

Manchester United is expected to have Lisandro Martinez back after limping off against Arsenal, but the fixture comes too soon for Mason Mount and Rafael Varane. Rasmus Hojlund is expected to start after his fine cameo against the Gunners.

Brighton will access Ferguson after he picked up a calf problem two weeks ago. Danny Welbeck and Joao Pedro are the other options up front. Solly March is in the form of his life, and in the absence of Julio Enciso, Kaoru Mitoma is proving to be a menace.

Manchester United will be without Jadon Sancho after he refused to apologise to the manager for his post on social media after the Arsenal loss, and Anthony has been excused from the club to sort out his sexual assault issues.

Pervis Estupinian is in doubt as he returned late, but there are options for the visitors. Brighton will use the width, and Aaron Wan Bissaka and Dalot will have it all to do against Mitoma and March. It will be a tough afternoon for United.

Verdict: Both teams score