How Manchester United should line up vs Brighton
How Manchester United should line up vs Brighton
Manchester United will be looking to end the season on a high when they travel to face Brighton in their penultimate home game of the campaign on Saturday evening. Ralf Rangnick’s side have struggled for form all season but will be looking to build upon victory over Brentford at the start of the week with another three points at the end of it.
United have won each of their last seven meetings with Brighton in all competitions, their longest ongoing winning run against another current Premier League side.
In terms of early team news, Harry Maguire is set to return to the United squad but Marcus Rashford will miss the match.
This is how MEN writers think United should line up vs Brighton.
Samuel Luckhurst
Alex Telles has assisted from corners three months running now and will doubtless start again when Alvaro Fernandez’s debut has been needlessly delayed all of this time.
Scott McTominay was fortunate to start in midweek and was poor again. Nemanja Matic should be reunited with Fred. Juan Mata has to start, Anthony Elanga can continue and Bruno Fernandes finally did something- against Brentford to just about merit keeping his place.
Tyrone Marshall
Matic and Mata enjoyed fond farewells at Old Trafford on Monday night and United’s injury issues mean they’re likely to have a couple more games in them yet.
The back four should remain unchanged regardless of Maguire’s fitness. He clearly needs a break and that can start now. Fernandez needs a debut but that can come off the bench at the expense of Telles.
McTominay has been well below par recently but it feels like there’s more merit in trying to get his confidence restored so he can start alongside Fred in midfield, with Mata playing as the advanced midfielder once again.
Garnacho’s focus this week is the Youth Cup final so while there is value to giving him 10 or 15 minutes here, he shouldn’t start. With Rashford out that means Fernandes, Elanga and Ronaldo play in the same roles as Monday night.
