Gameweek 9 of the 2025/26 Premier League season will continue on Saturday, and the action will kick off later than usual. The proceedings will begin with two simultaneous matches before continuing with Manchester United vs Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford. The Red Devils will be eager to continue their upturn in form and get one over their recent bogey team.
Ruben Amorim will be pleased to have removed a monkey off his back, as his team finally clinched a second successive Premier League win by beating Liverpool 2-1 last week. Manchester United showed the kind of grit and resolve that they have not displayed under the Portuguese tactician. The result took the Red Devils closer to the top four, and if results go their way, they will finish fourth in the Premier League standings this weekend.
On the other hand, Brighton & Hove Albion have become increasingly consistent under Fabian Hurzeler since the last international break, and they are on a five-match winning run across all competitions. These results have taken the Seagulls from 13th in the Premier League standings to tenth, only three points outside the top four.
The corresponding fixture last season saw Brighton & Hove Albion clinch a 3-1 win, with Bruno Fernandes scoring the only goal for Manchester United. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Ruben Amorim has new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Manchester United manager may be bereft of the services of as many as three first-team players vs Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
Amorim is sweating over the fitness of Harry Maguire and Mason Mount, with the English duo recovering from minor knocks. The pair will face late fitness tests to determine their availability. Meanwhile, Lisandro Martinez remains in the treatment room due to his long-term knee injury.
Senne Lammens is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Manchester United lining up in the usual 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him vs Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday. The central defensive unit will feature Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, and Luke Shaw. Amad Diallo and Diogo Dalot will be the two wing-backs for the home side.
The wide duo will provide width in the final third and protect the centre-backs. As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes in the double pivot. Finally, Benjamin Sesko will lead the line for Manchester United against Brighton & Hove Albion, with Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha completing the supporting cast behind him.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Lammens; Yoro, de Ligt, Shaw; Amad, Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, Dalot; Mbeumo, Cunha; Sesko
Unlike his counterpart in the Manchester United dugout, Fabian Hurzeler has received a positive update on the team news front ahead of the trip to Old Trafford. The Brighton & Hove Albion manager may be without half a dozen players on Saturday.
Diego Gomez is fit and available to return after recovering from a hip injury. Meanwhile, Hurzeler is sweating over the fitness of Joel Veltman (calf), Brajan Gruda (knee), and Kaoru Mitoma (ankle), with the trio requiring late fitness tests to determine their availability. Meanwhile, Adam Webster (ankle), Jack Hinshelwood (ankle), and Solomon March (knee) remain in the treatment room.
Bart Verbruggen will retain his spot between the sticks, with Brighton & Hove Albion lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Manchester United on Saturday. The backline will feature Mats Wieffer, Jan Paul van Hecke, Lewis Dunk, and Ferdi Kadioglu.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Carlos Baleba and Yasin Ayari in the double pivot. Georginio Rutter will reprise the no. 10 role, with Yankuba Minteh and Maxim De Cuyper being the two wide attackers; Mitoma will start on the left flank if he is fit and available. Finally, Danny Welbeck will spearhead the Brighton attack against Manchester United.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen; Wieffer, van Hecke, Dunk, Kadioglu; Baleba, Ayari; Minteh, Rutter, De Cuyper; Welbeck
While Bryan Mbeumo, Danny Welbeck, and Carlos Baleba were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Bruno Fernandes as the Player to Watch for Saturday’s Premier League clash between Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford.
The Manchester United captain will make his 300th appearance for the Premier League club on Saturday, and he will be eager to make his mark. The Portuguese international has only three goal involvements in the Premier League this season (G2 A1), though these have been worth six points to Manchester United.
Only Antoine Semenyo’s (9) and Jack Grealish’s (7) goals and assists have been worth more points for their side this term. Bruno Fernandes will be eager to add to that tally and continue Manchester United’s resurgence under Ruben Amorim.
Brighton & Hove Albion are becoming a bogey team for Manchester United, and they have had the rub of the green in most of the recent meetings between the two clubs. So, the Red Devils face a significant threat to their resurgence this weekend.
So, a closely-contested affair is on the cards, and the hosts must be on top of their game to clinch the much-desired three points. However, while Danny Welbeck will make his mark against his former club, Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo will deliver the goods for the home side. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Ruben Amorim and his charges.
