Brighton vs Manchester United – News and Probable Lineups

Michael Carrick is set to lead Manchester United for his first official match as the club’s permanent head coach on Sunday, as the Red Devils wrap up their Premier League season against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Currently, Man United holds the third position in the Premier League standings, confirming their place before the final round of matches, while Brighton is in seventh place, aiming to clinch a spot in European competition for the upcoming season.

Match overview

Brighton has a lot to fight for going into this final weekend, with the Seagulls targeting European football for the 2026-27 season, and they still have the possibility of qualifying for the Champions League.

At present, Fabian Hurzeler’s side is positioned seventh in the table, which indicates a Europa League league phase place, and they are just one point above eighth-placed Chelsea, who are in the Conference League playoff spot.

Brighton sits just one point ahead of Brentford in ninth, meaning they could potentially drop out of European contention entirely. They are also three points behind Bournemouth in sixth, a position that would secure Champions League qualification if Aston Villa were to end in fifth.

The home team will come into this fixture following a 1-0 loss to Leeds United, with two defeats in their last three games in England’s top division.

Against Manchester United, Brighton has won seven of their previous ten meetings in all competitions, including a 2-1 victory in the FA Cup’s third round back in January.

Man United announced on Friday that they have appointed Carrick as their permanent head coach, with the Englishman signing a contract at Old Trafford through the summer of 2028. The 44-year-old will be aiming to mark his appointment with another win in the season’s final match.

Carrick has achieved 11 wins in 16 Premier League matches since taking over from Ruben Amorim in January, leading to his promotion to head coach. The match is low-stakes for the Red Devils, given they have already secured third place in the Premier League.

Manchester United enters this match following a 3-2 triumph over Nottingham Forest, having won four of their last five league encounters; however, their previous away match ended in a goalless draw against Sunderland on May 9.

The 20-time English champions will be competing in the Champions League for the 2026-27 season, presenting Carrick with an entirely new set of challenges for the next term.

Man United has the fourth-best away record in the Premier League this season, accruing 26 points from 18 fixtures and suffering only four defeats along the way.

Brighton & Hove Albion Premier League form:

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Manchester United Premier League form:

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Team News

Brighton is set to miss Stefanos Tzimas (knee), Kaoru Mitoma (thigh), and Adam Webster (knee) due to injuries on Sunday, while Mats Wieffer (ankle) is likely to be unavailable for the match.

Head coach Hurzeler is expected to stick with the same lineup that started against Leeds, with Danny Welbeck likely to lead the line against his former side.

Carlos Baleba continues to attract interest from Man United and could feature in his last match for Brighton this weekend.

For Manchester United, Matthijs de Ligt (back) is still out, and Benjamin Sesko remains a major doubt due to a shin injury that has ruled him out of the last two matches.

Casemiro made his final appearance for the Red Devils in the last game against Forest and will not play this weekend, meaning Mason Mount may step into the midfield position.

Shea Lacey could be among the young prospects in the squad on Sunday, but a strong side, including Harry Maguire who was recently left out of the England squad, should be fielded.

Bruno Fernandes requires just one assist to break the record for the most assists in a single Premier League season, currently tied with Kevin De Bruyne and Thierry Henry at 20.

Brighton & Hove Albion probable starting XI :

Bridge; Veltman, Van Hecke, Dunk, Cuyper; Hinshelwood, Baleba, Gross; Minteh, Welbeck, Kadioglu

Manchester United probable starting XI :

Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Mainoo, Mount; Amad, Fernandes, Cunha; Bleeding

Since May 1983, there hasn’t been a draw between these two teams, and they have never played to a draw in the Premier League, so we anticipate that this match could break that trend, with the points possibly being split at the Amex.

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