Manchester United vs Brighton & Hove Albion | Old Trafford, Manchester | Emirates FA Cup Third Round

This is an intriguing FA Cup third-round tie at Old Trafford! The Red Devils, under interim boss Darren Fletcher, seek their first win since Ruben Amorim's sacking, while the Seagulls arrive buoyed by a resilient 1-1 draw at Manchester City and strong recent form at the Theatre of Dreams. This clash sees United aiming to progress in the only cup competition they're in this season, while Brighton hope to cause upset & pressure to the shaky Man utd which sacked Amorim and Fletcher now at the wheel, battle at Old Trafford:

Current Form

Manchester United are unbeaten in their last four games but have drawn three in a row, including a 2-2 draw at Burnley (Fletcher's first game in charge). The Red Devils sit mid-table in the Premier League and need momentum.

Brighton & Hove Albion are unbeaten in their last three (two draws, one win), including a gritty 1-1 at Man City midweek. Fabian Hürzeler's side sit 11th in the league with solid away form against big teams.

Recent Form (last 5 across comps):

• Manchester United: D-D-D-W-L

• Brighton: D-W-D-L-D

Team News and Predicted Lineups

Manchester United: Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount are back in the squad (managed minutes expected after injury). Matthijs de Ligt is out injured. Fletcher may rotate for the cup tie.

Predicted Man Utd XI (4-2-3-1): Bayindir; Dalot, Maguire, Yoro, Shaw; Mainoo, Ugarte; Dorgu, Fernandes, Mount; Zirkzee.

Brighton & Hove Albion: Yankuba Minteh is a doubt (knock), Adam Webster, Mats Wieffer, Solly March, and Stefanos Tzimas are out. Fabian Hürzeler may rotate with Premier League stars like Kaoru Mitoma and Danny Welbeck.

Predicted Brighton XI (4-2-3-1): Steele; Veltman, Coppola, Dunk, Kadıoğlu; Ayari, Gros; Gruda, Rutter, Watson; Welbeck.

Head-to-Head Record

Manchester United dominate historically in the FA Cup (winning all six previous meetings, including a 7-6 penalty shootout in the 2023 semi-final after 0-0). In the Premier League, Brighton have been competitive, winning three of their last four visits to Old Trafford before a 4-2 United win in October 2025 (Mbeumo brace).

Recent meetings often high-scoring: four of the last five produced over 2.5 goals. (MKEKA WA LEO favours total goals to be over 1.5)

Key Stats:

• United unbeaten in FA Cup vs Brighton.

• Brighton have scored in three of last four away vs United.

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Match Prediction and Betting Tips

United's home advantage and cup pedigree make them favorites, but Brighton's recent Old Trafford success and attacking threat (especially without major rotation) suggest goals. Models give United ~55% win chance.

Our Prediction 🤞: Manchester United 2-1 Brighton Fletcher gets his first win; expect a competitive cup tie with goals.

MKEKA WA LEO:

• Risky Bet: Manchester United to win (Risky but likely to hapen)

• Bet on Both Teams to Score (BTTS) - Yes ( Most likely to happen 60%)

• Bet on total Goals: Over 2.5 Goals

• Bet on anytime goalscorer: Bruno Fernandes

This Manchester United vs Brighton FA Cup 2025/26 third-round tie could spark a cup run for the winners. Drop your score prediction on "Post your Tips" section ✍️

You can place your bets today through various betting sites such as: Wasafibet, Betpawa, Sokabet , Sportybet, BetWinner etc.

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