Table of Contents
Manchester United will look for the first win of their 2020-21 EPL season Saturday against Brighton and Hove Albion.
How they’ve fared so far
The Reds started the season poorly falling 3-1 to Crystal Palace in their opening match last weekend at Old Trafford.
Brighton is 1-1 on the season, fresh off an impressive 3-0 win last Sunday against Newcastle.
Both teams were victorious this week in their Carabao Cup ties.
Man United blanked Luton Town 3-0 while Brighton got past Preston North End 2-0.
Last Season
The Red Devils handled the Seagulls well last season winning 3-1 and 3-0.
This will be a test for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men who are under intense scrutiny following last Saturday’s weak showing.
On the other side, Graham Potter is in his second full season at Brighton looking to improve a squad that finished 15th in the Premier League last season.
Lineup notes
Man United’s Axel Tuanzebe is still recovering from injury and will not be available Saturday nor will Phil Jones.
In two competitive matches, Solskjaer’s had two completely different squads, Harry Maguire is the only one who’s started both times.
For the Seagulls, Yves Bissouma will serve his first of a three-match suspension following his expulsion against Newcastle last week.
Keys to the game
For Manchester United, they need to block out the noise and pressure from the outsiders about their lack of activity on the transfer market.
On paper, this team should be competing for the title but it appears off-field distractions have gotten the better of them.
The play of Donny van de Beek has been exceptional thus far so expect to see him draw into the lineup for this one.
The midfield needs to push the pace and put pressure on Brighton’s backline.
United has the potency to make life difficult for the Seagulls now they need to show their full potential.
Expect to see Brighton try to catch the Reds on the counter and test a backline that is still very much the Achilles heel for United.
This is the first of two meetings between both teams who will meet again next week in the 4th round of the Carabao Cup.
Kick-off from Amex Stadium will be at 12:30 pm local time. (JSL)
