The mood at Old Trafford is sombre off the back of Sunday’s controversial Manchester derby defeat, but the Red Devils have the chance to almost immediately lift the mood when Brighton & Hove Albion visit in the Carabao Cup third round.
Man Utd failed to even make it to this stage of the competition last season, as they were humiliated by League Two Grimsby Town in the second round, losing 12–11 on penalties in Cleethorpes.
Their subsequent rise under Michael Carrick and qualification for the Champions League means joining the Carabao Cup at this stage, alongside the Conference League-ready Brighton.
The Seagulls have started the new season strongly, and a 5–0 beatdown of Coventry City at the weekend leaves them fifth in the Premier League, on seven points after four games. Fabian Hürzeler has the visit of imperious champions Arsenal to consider on Saturday, but the German will also fancy a domestic cup run on the south coast.
There’s certainly an opening for Brighton to upset the Red Devils on Wednesday. Man Utd are slogging their way through the formative stages of the new campaign, and Sunday’s defeat to cross-city rivals Manchester City didn’t sit well with much of the fanbase.
For the first time since returning to the club in January, Michael Carrick is starting to feel a bit of heat.
Man Utd vs. Brighton Prediction
Seagulls Add to Carrick’s Woes
Man Utd are six-time winners of this competition and last got their hands on the trophy under Erik ten Hag in 2023. Brighton, meanwhile, have a pretty wretched record.
Not only have the Seagulls failed to lift the League Cup, but they haven’t advanced beyond the fifth round since 1978–79. In five of the previous six seasons, Brighton have fallen in the fourth round.
For Wednesday’s game, though, the visitors will be buoyed by their excellent recent record at Old Trafford, and the fact they beat Man Utd away from home in the FA Cup last term, just before Carrick took over as interim boss.
- Happy hunting ground : Brighton claimed their first victory at Old Trafford on their 15th attempt in 2022. The Seagulls have won on four of their next five visits to the Theatre of Dreams, winning three on the bounce before Man Utd earned a 4–2 win in the Premier League last October.
- Brighton’s purring attack : The visitors enter this cup tie in a rampant mood, putting five past a hapless Coventry at the weekend. Through four Premier League games, Brighton have scored the most goals (13), recorded the joint-most shots on target (23), created the second-most chances (52) and created the joint-second-most big chances (11) in the division.
- Rotation question : With both teams managing demanding schedules this season, the two managers would be wise to rotate their starting XIs for Wednesday’s cup tie and hand opportunities to fringe roster members. The potential changes offer greater unpredictability, with Man Utd, for example, likely to suffer if Bruno Fernandes is rested.
Prediction: Man Utd 1–2 Brighton
Man Utd Predicted Lineup vs. Brighton
The signs are pointing towards widespread rotation from the hosts off the back of their dismal derby defeat, and Carrick is hopeful of having Luke Shaw available again. The Englishman’s absence at the weekend forced Patrick Dorgu into the back four, but the Dane looks considerably more comfortable higher up the pitch.
Benjamin Šeško should make just his second start of the season, while Mason Mount, Ayden Heaven, Leny Yoro and Andrey Santos are also primed for inclusions. Bruno Fernandes is rarely offered respite, but could occupy the bench for Brighton’s visit.
Matthijs de Ligt is edging closer to a comeback, and there have been suggestions that the Dutchman could be involved in some capacity on Wednesday.
The hosts are still without summer arrival Carlos Baleba, denied his chance of an early Brighton reunion because of an ankle problem, as well as Amad Diallo and Manuel Ugarte.
Man Utd predicted lineup vs. Brighton (4-2-3-1): Darlow; Mazraoui, Yoro, Heaven, Shaw; Tielemans, Santos; Mbeumo, Mount, Dorgu; Šeško.
Brighton Predicted Lineup vs. Man Utd
Given that Hürzeler named an unchanged lineup at the weekend, it‘s expected the Brighton manager will shuffle his deck at Old Trafford, even if the Conference League campaign doesn’t get underway until after the upcoming international break.
There could be starts for summer additions Chema Andrés, Pascal Struijk and Promise David, while Georginio Rütter is on the comeback trail. He could be back on Hürzeler’s matchday roster.
Another new addition, Femi Azeez, missed the beatdown of Coventry through injury, and it’s unclear whether he could feature at the Theatre of Dreams. Brighton are certainly without Kaoru Mitoma, Yankuba Minteh, Jack Hinshelwood and Mats Wieffer for Wednesday’s cup tie.
What Time Does Man Utd vs. Brighton Kick Off?
- Location: Manchester, England
- Stadium: Old Trafford
- Date: Wednesday, Sept. 16
- Kickoff: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
- Referee: Farai Hallam
How to Watch Man Utd vs. Brighton on TV
| Country | TV Channel/Live Stream |
|---|---|
| United States | Paramount+ |
| Canada | DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada |
| Mexico | Disney+ Premium Mexico |
| United Kingdom | ITV 1 UK, ITVX, STV Scotland, Sky Go UK, NOW, SKY GO Extra, Sky Ultra HD, Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football, STV Player |
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