EPL: Manchester United vs Brighton Odds
Seagulls off to Flying Start
United Under Pressure
Manchester United’s start to the 2023-24 Premier League season has been lackluster. They’re 2-2 with a -2 goal difference and haven’t put in a complete performance yet. This weekend, they have a tough opponent on their schedule, as Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton come to town. The Seagulls have won three of their first four matches, averaging three goals per game in the process. For Saturday’s match at Old Trafford, we’ll look at the latest team news and Manchester United vs Brighton odds.
Manchester United vs Brighton
Day/Time:
Location: Old Trafford, Manchester, England
Head-to-Head
Brighton completed a double over Manchester United on last season’s Premier League schedule. Pascal Gross scored twice in Brighton’s 2-1 win at Old Trafford. Alexis Mac Allister, who now plays for Liverpool, scored a last-gasp penalty to give Brighton a 1-0 win at home. Brighton have conceded just one goal vs Manchester United in the last four meetings between the sides in all competitions. Last season, following a scoreless draw, Manchester United defeated Brighton in penalties in the FA Cup semifinals.
Manchester United in Fragile Position
Manchester United can’t seem to avoid controversy. While United don’t have to field questions about Mason Greenwood anymore, another winger could be in potential trouble. Three women have accused Antony of abuse; he is now on a leave of absence from the club. Plus, Jadon Sancho had a falling out with coach Erik ten Hag, which means United’s attacking options are severely limited.
Injury issues even forced the out-of-favor Harry Maguire and 35-year-old Jonny Evans onto the pitch in the 3-1 loss to Arsenal before the international break. Raphael Varane is expected to be out again, so Victor Lindelof and Lisandro Martinez should be United’s starting center backs. Diogo Dalot could start at left back again, with Luke Shaw out, or Sergio Reguilon could make his first start for the club.
In midfield, new signing Sofyan Amrabat is dealing with a back injury and Mason Mount is out. So, we could see Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes and Christian Eriksen once again. After an energetic substitute appearance vs. Arsenal, new striker Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho could start up top.
The Premier League stats show that no United player has scored more than one goal so far this season. So far, they’ve scored just five goals in four games and haven’t yet found a groove.
Ferguson Scores Hat Trick for Brighton
Evan Ferguson became one of the youngest-ever Premier League players to score a hat trick in Brighton’s 3-1 win over Newcastle United. The 18-year-old has been excellent since bursting onto the scene for Brighton and has scored 10 goals in 24 Premier League appearances. However, he picked up an injury while away on international duty for Ireland. So, he’ll be unavailable for selection in this EPL match.
With Danny Welbeck and Julio Enciso also nursing injuries, new signing Ansu Fati could get an opportunity here. Fati, on loan from Barcelona, is still one of the brightest young talents in world football. He has scored 22 goals in 80 La Liga appearances for Barcelona. Despite injuries, Brighton have a ton of attacking options like Joao Pedro, Solly March and Kaoru Mitoma.
The Seagulls have averaged three goals per game and are 3-1, both SU and ATS. Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton should be in the top-four race this season and certainly aren’t afraid of any opponent. Still, the Manchester United vs Brighton odds list them as underdogs for this match. In any case, Brighton’s counterattacks could be a nightmare for Manchester United to deal with on Saturday.
Match Analysis & Odds
A quick look at the EPL odds shows that Brighton are +210 underdogs despite completing the double over Manchester United last season. United also have a lot of question marks heading into the weekend, which makes them an iffy bet, at +110. One stand-out pick on the odds board seems to be Brighton pk, +0.5 at even odds. With how well they’ve been playing, the Seagulls can certainly get a result against nearly any team in the EPL.
Another thing to note is that all of Brighton’s four EPL matches so far have finished with four or more goals. The Manchester United vs Brighton odds list over three goals at -145 as a result. Meanwhile, a draw comes in at +295 odds for this match at Old Trafford. Bettors can also consider Manchester United pk, -0.5 at -120, but United’s play has been subpar so far this season.
For EPL betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
