The games are coming thick and fast for Manchester United at the moment and just four days after being knocked out by Sevilla in the Champions League, they play host to Brighton in an FA Cup quarter-final on Saturday night.
The FA Cup remains United’s only hope of silverware this season and they sit 16 points behind Manchester City in the Premier League, an unassailable difference with so few games left this season. The pressure will be on Jose Mourinho to win the FA Cup, considering he was hired to win trophies and deliver something to the fans while rivals City win the league.
Meanwhile, Brighton sit in 11th place in their debut season in the Premier League, seven points clear of the relegation zone with eight games to go. Chris Hughton deservedly won Manager of the Month for February, after overseeing three wins in five games. There’s no pressure on him to deliver a trophy, but knocking Manchester United out of the FA Cup and securing safety in the league would be a major achievement.
Manchester United vs. Brighton Predictions
Brighton won’t roll over for United and this will be a tough game for the Red Devils after what happened on Tuesday night. You’d expect them to win, but it’ll be very tight and there won’t be too many goals in this one.
Manchester United vs. Brighton Betting Tips
Head to Head
- Manchester United and Brighton haven’t met in the FA Cup since January 1993, with United winning 1-0 with a goal from Ryan Giggs.
- The Seagulls have only won one of their 17 matches against Manchester United in their entire history (D5 L11), winning 1-0 in a top-flight fixture in November 1982.
- Man United have been eliminated from three of their last four FA Cup quarter-finals, progressing only in 2015/16 against West Ham after a replay. They haven’t won a quarter-final without the need of a replay since 2010/11 against Arsenal.
- This is only Brighton’s third FA Cup quarter-final appearance and their first since 1985/86 when they lost to Southampton. Their other quarter-final came in 1982/83, which they won against Norwich on their way to facing Manchester United in that season’s final.
- Romelu Lukaku has scored 11 goals in his last 10 FA Cup appearances. The only match he failed to score in of those 10 games was against Manchester United for Everton in the semi-final in April 2016.
- Jose Mourinho has won 14 of his 16 home FA Cup matches (D1 L1), winning all three with Manchester United by an aggregate score of 10-0.
- Chris Hughton, meanwhile, has managed four away matches at Old Trafford in all competitions and lost all four without seeing his sides score a single goal.
- Brighton have lost seven and drawn one of their last eight away FA Cup matches against top-flight opposition. Their last away win of this kind was at Newcastle United in January 1986.
Manchester United Team News
Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial are both expected to be available, having recovered from thigh injuries. Marcos Rojo and Ander Herrera could also make the matchday squad, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Phil Jones and Daley Blind are all out injured.
Possible Manchester United XI: Sergio Romero, Antonio Valencia, Victor Lindelof, Marcos Rojo, Luke Shaw, Scott McTominay, Paul Pogba, Juan Mata, Jesse Lingard, Anthony Martial, Romelu Lukaku
Brighton Team News
Anthony Knockaert will be serving the first of a three-game suspension after being sent off in the 2-0 loss to Everton. Jiri Skalak could make the matchday squad after returning from an ankle injury, but Steve Sidwell, Isaiah Brown and Dale Stephens all miss out.
Possible Brighton XI: Mat Ryan, Ezequiel Schelotto, Shane Duffy, Ben Dunk, Gaetan Bong, Solly March, Beram Kayal, Davy Propper, Jose Izquierdo, Pascal Gross, Glenn Murray