Key events
Pre-match patter. Ruben Amorim doesn’t much care for the opinions of Arne Slot …
… but Danny Welbeck is highly concerned with the thought processes of Thomas Tuchel. Jamie Jackson and John Brewin take turns to investigate.
Manchester United make two changes in the wake of their 2-1 win at Anfield last weekend. Benjamin Šeško comes in for Mason Mount, who drops to the bench, while last week’s win-securing hero Harry Maguire doesn’t feature at all, Leny Yoro taking his place in defence. Maguire picked up an injury during training this week. Tyrell Malacia is named in a Premier League squad for the first time this season.
Brighton & Hove Albion make one change after their 2-1 home win over Newcastle. It’s ostensibly a defensive one, swapping in Maxim De Cuyper for Diego Gómez, who drops to the bench. Danny Welbeck, a member of the last Manchester United squad to win the Premier League, in 2012-13, returns to Old Trafford on a hot streak of four goals in three games, one more than he’d managed in his previous 15.
The teams
Manchester United: Lammens, Yoro, de Ligt, Shaw, Diallo, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dalot, Mbeumo, Cunha, Sesko.
Subs: Bayindir, Mazraoui, Mount, Zirkzee, Malacia, Dorgu, Ugarte, Heaven, Mainoo.
Brighton & Hove Albion: Verbruggen, Wieffer, van Hecke, Dunk, Kadioglu, Baleba, Ayari, Minteh, Rutter, De Cuyper, Welbeck.
Subs: Steele, Tzimas, Watson, Kostoulas, Milner, Boscagli, Gomez, Coppola, Oriola.
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire).
VAR: Michael Oliver (Northumberland).
Preamble
Manchester United, having just beaten Sunderland and Liverpool, look to make it three Premier League wins on the bounce this evening. The wind’s behind them under Ruben Amorim for the very first time! Only problem is, their visitors tonight are Brighton & Hove Albion, who have won on each of their last three trips to Old Trafford, and six of the last seven League meetings between the clubs. Never mind the wind behind; for the Seagulls, it’s been a breeze. Having said all that, Brighton are otherwise as gloriously unpredictable as their hosts, so this game is both fascinating and potentially rollickingly good entertainment. Kick-off is at 5.30pm (and we say this for the last time in a while, because remember the clocks fall back tonight, kids) BST. It’s on!
