Manchester United vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion won their first Premier League meeting with Manchester United this season, but they know they can’t look too much in the past. Not against these awakened and much-better Red Devils, at least.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has overseen the best start for a new manager in United history, and he will be looking to extend that record as he further solidifies his case to be the permanent manager of the club after this campaign.
There’s renewed hope and a change of energy surrounding the organisation as well, and while Brighton have proven they can hold their ground against top teams, they might be biting off more than they can chew against this Manchester United squad.
Talking Points
Six wins in six games in all competitions have United flying high again. They remain sixth in the standings, but they are now level on points with fifth-placed Arsenal.
The Red Devils, in fact, could surpass the Gunners with a victory against Brighton this weekend, especially with Unai Emery’s men up for a tough challenge against Chelsea.
Perhaps, the biggest difference with Manchester United is their offence. The shackles called ‘Park the Bus’ by Jose Mourinho had been removed with the departure of The Special One and the arrival of Solskjaer.
Manchester United are playing with more freedom now, and that is clear with the 15 league goals (17 overall) they have scored so far under Solskjaer. That’s a rate of three goals per game!
In comparison, United made just 29 goals in the 17 matches that Mourinho managed—a production that saw them make less than two goals per contest. Even more disturbing is the fact that they also conceded 29 during that poor stretch.
Solskjaer has undoubtedly brought out the best in his players, particularly from Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba.
Rashford, who was seemingly falling out of Mourinho’s favour, had a sudden resurgence and is now one of the primary attacking options of the team. The 21-year-old has brought his tally to eight, last scoring the lone goal in their win versus Tottenham Hotspur.
Meanwhile, Pogba is finally being used correctly. Often the subject of criticisms for his poor performances—which was not helped by his highly-publicised disagreements with Mourinho—the 25-year-old star midfielder appears to be back to his old, usual self.
The French World Cup champion has contributed four goals and four assists in five Premier League games since Solskjaer took over.
Brighton will be wary of the new threat that Manchester United offer. Unfortunately, their prospects of winning look dim considering their recent struggles. The Seagulls have taken only five points out of a possible 21 in their last seven fixtures, winning just once in that period.
If there is one positive thing about Chris Hughton’s outfit, it that they are a pretty decent team defensively. They limited the high-octane attack of Liverpool to just one goal in both of their encounters this year and played out a 1-1 stalemate with Arsenal late last month.
History
Manchester United couldn’t wish for better Premier League 2019 results, having won their two league matches at the start of the New Year. Nonetheless, they still have plenty to prove, with the top four a little far away.
As mentioned, this match with Brighton is like a revenge game for the Red Devils. They lost 3-2 to the Seagulls at Sussex the last time out, behind goals from Glenn Murray, Shane Duffy and Pascal Gross.
Last year, Brighton also won their home game versus United, bagging a 1-0 victory after the 27-year-old Gross fired them through with a 57th-minute winner.
It should be noted, however, that United haven’t lost against Brighton at Old Trafford since their promotion in the 2017-18 season. They met twice at the famed stadium—one in the Premier League and one in the FA Cup—and United won both fixtures while keeping Brighton scoreless.
Betting Tip
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Manchester United vs Brighton & Hove Albion | First Half 1X2 Draw @ 2.41 |
| January 19, 23:00 (GMT+8) |
The Premier League 2019 odds at SBOBET unsurprisingly lean in favour of Manchester United…and by a HUGE MARGIN!
It’s quite difficult to bet against the Red Devils given the way they are playing right now. Winning consistently has a positive effect on the confidence of the players and the team as a whole, and Manchester United are showing that.
Brighton can only hope to limit the expected damage Manchester United will cause, and I think they will do just that.
I think the Seagulls will employ a defensive-minded approach to neutralise the free-flowing United attack. Although I believe the home team will come out on top, a first-half draw is a plausible outcome.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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| = €20 (Highly confident) |
 = €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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