Ruben Amorim, the head coach of Manchester United, has openly acknowledged the difficulties the players are facing in adjusting to his 3-4-3 formation. As the Red Devils prepare to face Brighton on Sunday, the pressure is mounting. United was on the brink of suffering a fourth consecutive Premier League defeat at Old Trafford against Southampton but managed to salvage a 3-3 draw, thanks to a remarkable late hat-trick from Amad Diallo. This late resurgence allowed them to maintain their unbeaten start to 2025, following a hard-fought draw with Liverpool and a penalty shoot-out victory over Arsenal in the FA Cup. However, Amorim admits that there’s much more to work on, as he expressed frustration over the team’s struggles to settle into his tactical system.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the Southampton match, Amorim elaborated on the difficulties, saying, "They are not suited to playing like that. With the ball, you saw, we had some patterns, but it was ultimately a challenging game." The team's defensive instability and inability to fully implement Amorim’s vision have been apparent, and with the high expectations surrounding the club, Sunday’s game against Brighton could be pivotal for the manager and his players.
Brighton, meanwhile, has found a much-needed win after a long stretch without success, securing a 2-0 victory over Ipswich Town on Thursday. The win was their first league triumph since mid-November and provided a much-needed boost to the squad’s morale. Head coach Fabian Hurzeler, although pleased with the outcome, acknowledged that the performance wasn't their best. "We controlled the game and were stable out of possession," Hurzeler said, underscoring the importance of a solid defensive display. He added that the victory would provide the team with confidence and belief moving forward. However, Hurzeler emphasized that there is no time to rest on their laurels, as they now look to continue building momentum in their upcoming fixtures.
Manchester United will be looking to Bruno Fernandes to provide inspiration in the match. Fernandes has had an influential role in his previous encounters with Brighton, being involved in six goals in his first four Premier League matches against them. However, he has not scored or assisted in his last six games against the Seagulls, and this could serve as extra motivation for him to break his dry spell. On the other side, Brighton’s Danny Welbeck could prove to be a key player in this fixture. Welbeck scored against United earlier this season and has a strong record against his former club, making him a potential threat. Another Brighton player to watch is Pascal Gross, who famously scored both home and away against United in the 2018-19 season, a feat no other Brighton player has achieved in a single Premier League season. With Welbeck rested midweek, he might be poised to replicate such performances.
Looking at the statistical landscape, Manchester United enters the match slightly favored to win despite their recent struggles against Brighton. United has lost five of their last six league games against Brighton, including two losses at Old Trafford, a record that highlights the Seagulls’ impressive form against them. However, Brighton’s recent form shows they have only won once in their last nine league matches, casting doubt on their ability to continue their success. Historically, Brighton boasts an impressive 47% win rate against United, which stands as the highest win rate any team has against the Red Devils in Premier League history. Notably, none of the 15 meetings between the two teams have ended in a draw, with United claiming victory in eight of those encounters. This clash will mark the sixth time Brighton faces United while sitting higher in the league table, a remarkable stat for a club that has often been seen as an underdog in these matchups.
The Opta Win Probability model suggests that Manchester United has a 43.5% chance of winning, while Brighton has a 29.8% chance, and a draw is considered to be a 26.8% possibility. Given these numbers and the current form of both teams, United holds the slight edge heading into the weekend’s fixture, although Amorim will need to find solutions to his tactical issues to secure a much-needed victory.
