Man Utd vs Brighton: Draw specialists unlikely to make it easy for misfiring Red Devils

Bruno Fernandes appeals for Man Utd

Man Utd and Brighton have drawn 19 games between them this season, so there is every reason to expect a tight contest at Old Trafford.

Manchester United will attempt to get back to winning ways when they welcome Brighton to Old Trafford on Tuesday.

The game was originally scheduled for December but was rearranged due to a Covid-19 outbreak at Man Utd's Carrington training ground.

There is plenty on offer for the Red Devils, though, who know that a win would see them leapfrog West Ham and return to the top four.

When: Tuesday, February 15, 20:15 GMT

Where: Old Trafford

Where to watch: Not broadcast live in the UK

Follow Man Utd vs Brighton via our live score centre

Who is the ref for Man Utd vs Brighton

Peter Banks will be given a rare Premier League outing for this one.

The Lancashire ref has taken charge of 16 games this season, although less than half of them have been in the Premier League.

One of those was Brighton's less-than-thrilling 0-0 draw with Norwich at Carrow Road in October. He has not taken charge of a Man Utd game this campaign.

Banks is one of the more card-happy refs in the Premier League, brandishing 39 yellows in seven matches this season. He is yet todish out a red.

Recent form

Man Utd beat Champions League-chasing rivals West Ham in January. When they were looking at Middlesbrough, Burnley and Southampton as their next three fixtures, they probably fancied themselves to win at least a couple.

They have found wins tough to come by, though, mainly due to finding it hard to score goals.

Ralf Rangnick's men have scored first in all of those games but had to settle for 1-1 draws in them all, with the added kick in the teeth of losing on penalties to Middlesbrough.

Brighton are draw specialists themselves. In fact, the Seagulls have drawn more than half of their 23 Premier League matches this season.

However, they will be pretty happy with their recent Premier League form and rightly so.

They have drawn four and won three of their last seven matches, and come into the game on the back of a 2-0 win at Watford.

Man Utd and Brighton players in form

It has taken a little while, but Jadon Sancho is the man in form for Manchester United right now.

The former Borussia Dortmund star has bagged two goals in his last three games, both of them coming at Old Trafford.

Centre-back Adam Webster has been in surprisingly impressive goalscoring form for Brighton in recent weeks.

He bagged the equaliser against Chelsea in January and the second at Watford over the weekend to take his tally to two goals in his last three Premier League games.

Last three matches

Man Utd 2-1 Brighton (April 4, 2021)

These two sides last met last April and the scoresheet served as a who's who of Manchester United striker academy graduates.

Danny Welbeck opened the scoring inside 14 minutes as Brighton took a lead into the break.

However, Man Utd were able to turn it around after the interval thanks to goals from Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood.

Brighton 0-3 Man Utd (September 30, 2020)

The sides met in the League Cup in September 2020, which was the second time they had played each other in just four days.

Scott McTominay scored just before half-time and Juan Mata put the tie to bed with 17 minutes remaining.

Paul Pogba added a third late on.

Brighton 2-3 Man Utd (September 26, 2020)

The first game of the September 2020 double bill was an absolute thriller.

The two sides traded goals late in the first half, with a Neal Maupay penalty immediately cancelled out by a Lewis Dunk own goal.

Rashford had Man Utd in front for the first time ten minutes into the second half, and Solly March thought he'd salvaged a draw for the Seagulls in the fifth minute of injury time.

However, a Bruno Fernandes penalty in the 100th minute earned the spoils for United.

Last ten matches

Man Utd wins: 8

Draws: 0

Brighton wins: 2

Man Utd goals: 18

Brighton goals: 9

It's worth noting that Man Utd have won all of the last six games between the sides.

Managers' thoughts

Ralf Rangnick has responded to criticism of his players' willingness to put in the work defensively - by essentially saying he agrees.

"I don't think that this is a question of physicality with regard to fitness but, yes, it might well be.

"The players that we have are technical players, they like to play technical football but in the Premier League no matter against which team - even more so against teams like Southampton - you cannot win games only in a technical way. You also have to show some physicality."

Graham Potter, meanwhile, believes the fact Brighton are fighting it out with Manchester United for European qualification speaks volumes about how far they have come.

"It says a lot we are talking about us and Manchester United and how all of a sudden they become our competitors," Potter said.

"The reality of both football clubs is there is quite a big difference.

"But we will go there and try and be ourselves and we will try and play football as we want to play and act as well as we have and then we will give ourselves a chance."

Predicted Man Utd vs Brighton teams

Manchester United have Fred available. The Brazil midfielder has been out after testing positive for coronavirus but is now back training with his team-mates.

Edinson Cavani (hip) and Nemanja Matic (shin) are still missing, while forward Mason Greenwood remains suspended by the club.

Possible Manchester United starting line-up: De Gea; Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Telles; McTominay, Pogba; Rashford, Fernandes, Sancho; Ronaldo

Brighton midfielder Enock Mwepu is closing in on a return from his hamstring issue but will not be involved.

Winger Jeremy Sarmiento will again miss out due to a hamstring issue.

Possible Brighton & Hove Albion starting line-up: Sanchez; Veltman, Dunk, Webster; Lamptey, Lallana, Bissouma, Moder, Cucurella; Maupay, Trossard

Manchester United vs Brighton prediction

Man Utd have drawn their last three games and Brighton draw more games than anyone. It's tough to look past a 1-1 draw, even if draws between these two sides are rare.