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Manchester United vs Brighton Preview: Odds, Tips and Prediction

Kick Off Time: 2.00 pm (UK time) Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester SportsBoom previews the Premier League match between Manchester United and Brighton at Old Trafford on Sunday, 19th 2025. Excitement is palpable with both teams seeking to get a positive result and trend upwards an otherwise congested EPL table. Premier League betting fans are already diving into the odds and assessing both teams, hoping to find the best value. For a detailed, in-depth look at the match, be sure to check out our full preview.

Ian Wanyeki
Ian Wanyeki

Last Updated: 2025-01-18

Chad Nagel

7 minutes read

Mason Mount runs with the ball under pressure from Kaoru Mitoma & Hove Albion

Mason Mount, Kaoru Mitoma & Hove Albion//Getty Images

Manchester United vs Brighton Preview 

Manchester United will host Brighton in the Premier League on Sunday in a crucial match for both teams, as they seek to make ground on the teams above them. Manchester United are on a four-match winless run in the EPL, although they put on a solid outing in their last match against Liverpool to claim a vital point at Anfield, in a match they were expected to lose. The performance ignited a positive response as they dispatched Arsenal on penalties in the FA Cup a week later to secure progress into the fourth round. On the other hand, Brighton are on an eight-match EPL winless run, with their last victory dating all the way back in November. However, Brighton dispatched championship side Norwich City 4-0 on the road to confirm a fourth round home time against Chelsea.

Brighton have been dominant in six of their recent Premier League meetings between the sides, claiming five victories while united only registered one. Brighton have won their recent two trips to Old Trafford and this season’s reverse fixture at the American Express Stadium on August 24 a result that was 2-1 in their favour.

Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability: Manchester United Clear Favourites

  1. Manchester United: 53/50 (2.06) – 48.5%

  2. Draw: 27/10 (3.70) – 27%

  3. Brighton: 5/8 (3.50) – 28.6%

  4. * Odds courtesy of Stake, subject to change

Head-to-Head Record

Last Five Meetings (Premier League)

  1. 24/08/2024 Brighton 2-1 Manchester United

  2. 19/05/2024 Brighton 0-2 Manchester United

  3. 16/09/2023 Manchester United 1-3 Brighton

  4. 04/05/2023 Brighton 1-0 Manchester United 

  5. 07/08/2022 Manchester United 1-2 Brighton 

Manchester United Current Form (Premier League) – DLLLW

Manchester United had a turbulent December in the Premier League to say the least. They registered two wins and five losses in their seven outings. However, they outplayed Premier League leaders, Liverpool, at Anfield, walking away with a vital point in their first match of the year. The Red Devils clicked all over the pitch, putting up an excellent performance that seems to have turned the tide in an embarrassing season that saw them flirt with relegation.

Ruben Amorim’s men followed up the performance with another remarkable show at Emirates, that eliminated Arsenal from the FA Cup via penalties, while playing with ten after Diogo Dalot was sent off for a second bookable offense in the 61st minute.

This weekend’s fixture will see the Red Devils come up against a boogey team of sorts, as Brighton have been a thorn on their side, winning five of the last six Premier League meetings between these sides including the last two at Old Trafford.

Carlos Baleba & Hove Albion

Carlos Baleba & Hove Albion//Getty Images

Key Players to Watch

  • Bruno Fernandes: Bruno Fernandes has rediscovered his best form since the appointment of Ruben Amorim. The Manchester United captain has been one of the positive sparks in recent matches, putting on fantastic shifts against top tier opposition in Liverpool and Arsenal. His playmaking ability will be required if the Red Devils are to walk away with a positive result this weekend.
  • Kobbie Mainoo: Much of the speculation surrounding Kobbie Mainoo contract situation is warranted. Mainoo has thrived in the engine room for Amorim’s side, with his combative nature offering endless energy resulting in stability between defense and attack. He will be up against a technical Brighton midfield and his talents will surely instrumental.
  • Matthijs de Ligt: Matthijs de Ligt is slowly getting back to his best form. After years of being marred with inconsistent performances, De Ligt is slowly showing fans why he was a teenage sensation at Ajax FC. Amorim’s back three formation seems to suit his talents to a tee. His ball playing abilities from the back coupled with aerial prowess will be a threat for Brighton.

Manchester United Team News

Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Victor Lindelof and Marcus Rashford should all be fit for this match, but the latter’s inclusion in the squad remains doubtful given the transfer speculation surrounding him right now.

Brighton Current Form (Premier League) – DDDDL

Brighton have been on an eight-match Premier League winless run, with their last win coming against Bournemouth in 23rd November. They have tallied six draws and two losses since then, resulting in a tenth place rank on the table.

A much-needed road win against Norwich City in the FA Cup will surely boost morale in Brighton’s camp, after they were tipped for European qualification after a strong summer transfer market. Fabian Hurzeler has taken to the Premier League quite well despite being 31 years old. The Brighton manager has evolved former boss Roberto De Zerbi’s playing style, while maintaining a majority of his principles. Injuries to key players have robbed Hurzeler’s side much-needed momentum and consistency, but all in all, they have adopted well.

In recent fixtures against Manchester United, Brighton have had the opponent’s number, putting up dominant displays of thrilling and entertaining football, although the Red Devils did enjoy a 2-0 victory over the Seagulls back in May 2024.

Brighton will be looking to complete the season double after claiming three points in the reverse fixture in August. 

Key Players to Watch

  • Joao Pedro: Joao Pedro is showcasing a newfound maturity rare for is age of 23. Already a target for the some of the big teams in the Premier League, Pedro is slowly turning into an elite striker. He is a complete forward possessing strong aerial ability, passing ability, and superb ball recovery and retention ability. He will be a handful for Manchester United’s defense.
  • Simon Adingra: Simon Adingra is one of the Premier League’s most exciting wingers. Although, consistency continues to elude him, Adingra’s pace, skill and ball control can decide matches in an instant. With Adingra on the pitch, expect direct entertaining wing play that can be devastating.
  • Carlos Baleba: Carlos Baleba is quickly morphing into one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League. Despite recently turning 21 years, Baleba is already a physical specimen boasting a good passing range. He thrives in the combative aspect of the game and will a massive weapon in the midfield battle against Manchester United.

Brighton Team News

Danny Welbeck, Diego Gomez and James Milner will all be back for this match, while Jack Hinshelwood and Mats Wieffer should fit again in advance. However, Igor, Ferdi Kadioglu and Evan Ferguson won’t be back until next month at the earliest.

Predicted Line-Ups

  1. Manchester United: 3-4-2-1

    Onana; De Ligt, Maguire, Martinez; Mazraoui, Ugarte, Mainoo, Dalot; Amad, Fernandes; Højlund

  2. Brighton: 4-2-3-1

    Verbruggen; Veltman, Van Hecke, Dunk, Estupiñán; Baleba, Ayari; Gruda, Rutter, Adingra; Pedro

Suggested Bets

If you love betting on the Premier League, here are some bets you can place at some of the top football sportsbooks.

  1. Manchester to Win: In a majority of home matches against Brighton, Manchester United usually has an upper hand and registers a win. (26/25 with BetWinner) (26/25 with Sportsbet.io) (27/25 with Pinnacle).

  2. Both Teams to Score (Yes): Both team’s recent trends suggest that each of them is most likely to score a goal. (59/100 with BC.Game) (31/50 with Sportsbet.io) (59/100 with Betwinner).

  3. Over 2.5: Manchester United, having a home advantage, is most likely to score at least two goals. Brighton may score at least one goal since they often score a maximum of two goals in away matches. (71/100 with Pinnacle) (67/100 with Sportsbet.io) (18/25 with Betandyou).

Value Bets

  1. Goal range - 2-3: The average goals scored in Manchester and Brighton matches mostly fall within this range. (109/100 with Pinnacle) (1/1 with BC.Game) (26/25 with Stake).

  2. Manchester United FC Total – Over 1.5: Manchester averages two goals in home matches against Brighton, making this a probable outcome. (9/10 with Pinnacle) (31/20 with Stake) (22/25 with Sportsbet.io)

Prediction – Manchester United to Win and Both Teams to Score (Yes)

Manchester United has lost three of their last five matches, leading to a dismal record. Therefore, the teams must be looking forward to redeeming its performance in this home game, hence, they will fight tooth and nail to scoop a win. 

Also, both teams are expected to score, given that Brighton’s most recent form shows that the team has scored at least one goal or more in both home and away matches. 

Ian Wanyeki
Ian WanyekiSports Writer

Ian Mugo Wanyeki is based in Nairobi, Kenya. He is a sports enthusiast with vast knowledge of different sport disciplines. Ian is a graduate with a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Kenyatta University. He is a Kenyan journalist who’s worked as a sports analyst at Covenant Television Network, as a sports reporter at NTV and as a Sports Correspondent/contributor at Quartz Africa.

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