Since the restart, the Red Devils have stretched their unbeaten run to an impressive 14 games in all competitions and will be confident that they can extend the run against relegation-threatened Brighton.
Following the draw at Tottenham, United demolished Sheffield United 3-0 at home with an excellent hat-trick from French forward Anthony Martial. This was the first hat-trick scored by a Manchester United player since Robin van Persie in 2013.
An FA Cup semi-final beckons for United after requiring extra-time to overcome Norwich City on Saturday evening. United’s attentions will turn back to the league as the games continue to come thick and fast, and with all to play for in the race for a Champions League place.
Chelsea’s resurgent form coupled with Wolves’ 1-0 victory over rivals Aston Villa on Saturday increases the pressure on Ole Gunnar Solksjaer’s side to come away with a victory on the south-coast.
Meanwhile, Brighton will come into this game with a great deal of confidence after a dramatic 2-1 win against Arsenal and a respectable 0-0 draw against third-place Leicester. Their recent results have eased fears of relegation, although Graham Potter’s side still loom six points above the drop zone with their safety far from guaranteed.
Team News
The likes of Martial, Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba look set to return to the starting eleven after only featuring from the bench on Saturday. Whilst there are no fresh injury concerns for the Old Trafford side, Axel Tuanzebe and Phil Jones remain out.
Young right back Tariq Lamptey is a doubt as is centre back Adam Webster after sustaining a hamstring injury against Leicester. Shane Duffy is likely to deputise in Webster's place alongside captain Lewis Dunk. Steven Alzate and Jose Izquierdo remain sidelined after suffering serious groin and knee injuries respectively.
Predicted Lineups
Brighton: Ryan, Lamptey, Duffy, Dunk, Burn, Propper, Bisouma, Mooy, Gross, Trossard, Maupay
Manchester United: De Gea; Wan Bissaka, Maguire, Lindelöf, Shaw, Matic, Pogba, Fernandes, Greenwood, Martial, Rashford
Referee: Andre Marriner
Ones To Watch
Neal Maupay
Brighton’s main attacking threat will come from Neal Maupay, who has scored nine goals in his first season in the Premier League – an impressive figure for a player in a team fighting for survival. Last time out, the French forward missed a penalty against Leicester. Yet, his hard-working nature and movement off the ball are bound to cause problems for Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelöf. His late goal against Arsenal last week showed that he has the quality to punish Man United if he is given an opportunity in and around the box.
After scoring his first hat-trick in a Man United shirt, Brighton will be wary of the threat posed by Anthony Martial. His movement, trickery and finishing instincts has seen him play in the number nine position in recent times rather than on the left. As Brighton do not concede too many goals at the Amex Stadium, a moment of Martial magic could be needed to break the deadlock. Often criticised for his lack of consistency, it is time the Frenchman put together a run of form that he is very much capable of.
Previous Meetings
The reverse fixture ended in a 3-1 win for Man United at Old Trafford last November with goals from Andreas Pereira, Scott McTominay and Rashford. The comprehensive victory was hailed by Solksjaer as his team’s ‘best performances of the season’ at the time. If Man United can get half as close to those performance levels, they will be within a great chance of coming away with the three points on Tuesday.
However, Brighton will take heart from the fact that they overcame Man United the last time the two sides met at the Amex Stadium in 2018. Glen Murray and Pascal Gross starred in the 3-2 win, which also saw Paul Pogba get on the scoresheet in what was a low-point in Jose Mourinho’s reign.
This time around, there will be a different dimension to the game with it being behind closed doors. Losing the advantage of a home crowd will do no favours for Brighton, harming their chances of replicating that famous 3-2 victory.
Where To Watch
The match kicks off at 20:15 (BST) on 30th June. For fans in the UK, the match will be shown on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky One and Pick (Sky’s free-to-air channel). Those in the United States can see the game live on NBC Sports Network.