Manchester United will aim to build on their Premier League opening weekend victory as they take on Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium on Saturday.
The two teams last met in a 2-0 win for United at the end of last season, but Brighton’s impressive start to this campaign presents a significant challenge. While United secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Fulham in their opener, thanks to a late goal from Joshua Zirkzee, Brighton earned a commanding 3-0 win against Everton under new manager Fabian Hurzeler.
For Saturday’s clash, United will be without Victor Lindelof, who is sidelined with a toe injury amid speculation about his future. Erik ten Hag has also confirmed that Leny Yoro, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, and Rasmus Hojlund will miss the match. Brighton, coming off their strong start, will undoubtedly be a tough opponent for the Red Devils.
Addressing Lindelof’s absence in his pre-match conference, Ten Hag stated, “No confusion, he has an issue with his toe. Hopefully, he can return quickly, but he’s not available for the weekend. Tyrell Malacia, Rasmus Hojlund, and Luke Shaw are also unavailable.”
Joshua Zirkzee is pushing for his first start after his debut goal against Fulham, and Ten Hag believes that strike will boost the young forward’s confidence. He even compared it to Rasmus Hojlund’s debut last season, where a disallowed goal delayed his first Premier League strike until Boxing Day.
“Very pleasing that a striker scores his first goal in his first game. That will give him confidence, and we’re very pleased it happened,” Ten Hag said. “The comparison with last year and Rasmus Hojlund and when he scored against Brighton… It gives him confidence and gives us confidence as a team.”
The Dutch tactician also acknowledged the disappointment players may face when left out of matchday squads. Despite the 1-0 victory over Fulham, where Zirkzee scored the winning goal, Jadon Sancho was not included in the team.
Sancho, who returned from a loan spell with Borussia Dortmund, has met with Ten Hag and expressed a positive outlook. While he played in the Community Shield defeat against Manchester City, his inclusion in the upcoming match against Brighton remains uncertain.
Ten Hag aims to have a deep squad with two players for each position by the transfer window’s end. However, he emphasized the importance of squad depth throughout the season. “You don’t win with 11 players, you win with a squad,” he said.
The former Ajax manager hopes victory over Fulham will “strengthen the belief and confidence” within the squad, urging his players to continue improving if they wish to achieve their season goals.
However, success at the Amex is far from guaranteed, the Red Devil have lost 43% of their previous 14 Premier League encounters with Brighton, their highest loss rate against any opponent in the league.
