Manchester United VS Brighton & Hove Match Prediction
2019-01-19
15:00:00
Manchester United
VS
Brighton & Hove
Our Prediction Tip
Manchester United will win this match.
2019-01-1915:00:00 Manchester United will win this match.
Brighton have only beaten Manchester United three times in 20 previous matches between the two, but two of those wins have come in the two most recent games. After losing 1-0 in the league and 2-0 in the FA Cup against United last season, Brighton stunned them at the AMEX with a 1-0 win in May – Pascal Gross scoring the only goal. Then, back in August, they won 3-2 at home – Glenn Murray, Shane Duffy and Pascal Gross scoring first-half goals as the Seagulls held on despite Romelu Lukaku pulling it back to 2-1 at one point, and Paul Pogba scoring a late penalty.
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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has got United back to winning ways, seeing off Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley last weekend to continue his winning start.
The win was thanks in no small part to David de Gea’s goalkeeping heroics, but the likes of Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku have noticeably improved under the Norwegian too.
United’s more attacking set-up is causing opponents problems and, after six wins from six so far, they will be confident of beating Brighton to continue that run.
Brighton beat Jose Mourinho’s United twice, once in May and once in August, but they lost twice at Old Trafford – and have never won there.
Having lost 1-0 to Liverpool last Saturday, their own mini unbeaten run was ended but it did at least show how they can be tough to break down.
Nevertheless, Marcus Rashford has three in the last three league games, Lukaku is scoring again and Pogba netted twice in back-to-back home games.
With those three back in top form, De Gea performing heroics in goal and United’s injury troubles easing too, there is lots of cause for optimism around Old Trafford again.
In United’s current form, it is hard to imagine Brighton being able to stop the juggernaut Solskjaer has created since taking charge.
Manchester United are odds-on favourites to beat Brighton but, despite winning six from six under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the best price of 6/19 with 10Bet looks generous.
Their last three wins have been to nil, meanwhile – and Brighton failed to score at Old Trafford in two attempts last season either, despite their successes at home – and another United win to nil is priced at 21/20 with Ladbrokes.
Brighton only conceded once against Liverpool, however, and the same against Arsenal. Even in United’s resurgent attacking form, under 2.5 goals at 13/10 with 888sport could prove a good bet.
On the topic of goalscorers, Romelu Lukaku scored three from three before the Spurs game, and is evens with Ladbrokes to score at any time, while Marcus Rashford has netted in each of the last three league games and is 11/8 with Bet365.
In superb form under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Manchester United can keep their winning streak going with a comfortable home win against Brighton.
Eric Bailly is back from suspension and Chris Smalling is close to a return from a foot injury but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could opt with the same back four he fielded at Wembley last weekend. At the other end of the pitch, Alexis Sanchez was due back in training for the second half of the week and may find he features only from the bench after his hamstring injury.
Romelu Lukaku – Started on the bench last time out but could be due a start after three goals in three appearances before that.
Paul Pogba – Set up Marcus Rashford’s winner against Spurs, having also scored twice in each of the wins against Huddersfield and Bournemouth.
Marcus Rashford – Goals in each of United’s last three league games have helped earn wins against Bournemouth, Newcastle and Tottenham Hotspur.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s winning streak extended to six games since taking charge after Marcus Rashford scored the only goal of the game in the win against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley last weekend. Under Solskjaer, United have won 5-1 at Cardiff before 3-1 and 4-1 victories at home to Huddersfield and Bournemouth – in which Paul Pogba scored two goals apiece. They then beat Newcastle 2-0 in the league, Reading 2-0 in the FA Cup and, last time out, Spurs to continue their resurgent form.
The Asian Cup has cost Brighton the services of Australian Mathew Ryan in goal and Iranian Alireza Jahanbakhsh in goal, while Bernardo is still a doubt with a minor hamstring strain. Jose Izquierdo is definitely out with a knee injury. With that in mind, the Seagulls could be unchanged with David Button in goal and Gaetan Bong at left-back.
Glenn Murray – Despite his current goal drought, he is Brighton’s top goalscorer again this season with eight to his name.
Pascal Gross – Scored in both the home wins against United, in May and August.
Jurgen Locadia – Goals in the win against Everton and draw with Arsenal have seen him establish himself in the starting line-up.
Brighton’s four-game unbeaten streak (two wins, two draws) since Christmas was ended by Liverpool’s 1-0 win at the AMEX last Saturday. The Seagulls had previously drawn 1-1 with Arsenal and beat Everton 1-0 in back-to-back home games to end 2019 – Jurgen Locadia scoring in both games – before a 2-2 league draw at West Ham and 3-1 FA Cup win at Bournemouth. They had been 2-0 up in the former through Dale Stephens and Shane Duffy
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