Manchester United will welcome Brighton to Old Trafford in a Premier League fixture on Saturday.
As it stands, Erik ten Hag’s men are sat in 11th place in the table after winning two and losing two of their four fixtures. They went into the international break on a low after losing 3-1 to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
In contrast, the Seagulls are currently sixth in the table and went into the break by beating Newcastle United 3-1 at the Amex Stadium. Roberto de Zerbi’s men have enjoyed a solid start to the season, winning three of their opening four games and are currently the division’s top goalscorers with 12 goals.
With a mouthwatering game on the cards between Man United and Brighton, here are three key battles which could define its outcome.
#Kaoru Mitoma vs Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Brighton’s solid start to the new season has been significantly aided by Kaoru Mitoma. The Japanese winger has registered a goal and three assists in four games, demonstrating his technical skills, speed and energy in the process.
In De Zerbi’s 4-2-3-1 system, Mitoma has been a permanent fixture on the left flank and is expected to keep his place in the team against Man United. He is likely to come up against Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who got the better of the Japanese in United’s FA Cup semi-final win over Brighton last season. In fact, Mitoma had admitted to suffering a “complete defeat” against Wan-Bissaka after the game.
Wan-Bissaka has been a consistent performer for Ten Hag’s side so far this term and he will be up for the tricky challenge of Mitoma on Saturday. Having failed in his previous 1v1 duel with the United right-back, Mitoma will be extra motivated to get the better of his marker this time around.
#Ansu Fati vs Man United centre-backs
Evan Ferguson became only the fourth 18-year-old to score a hat-trick in the Premier League after his sensational performance against Newcastle United before the international break. However, a dream week for the striker was somewhat marred by an injury exacerbated while on international duty with the Republic of Ireland, with Ferguson sent back to the club last week to recuperate.
With Ferguson’s availability against United doubtful and Danny Welbeck also injured, De Zerbi could turn to Ansu Fati to lead the Brighton attack. Fati, who was signed on loan from Barcelona as a replacement for the injured Julio Enciso, has the qualities to fill in for Ferguson at Old Trafford.
United’s defence will be under pressure when facing the Seagulls, having let in seven goals in their last three matches. With Raphael Varane injured, Victor Lindelof will likely partner Lisandro Martinez in central defence again, and the duo must be particularly cautious against Fati.
It remains to be seen how well Lindelof and Martinez are able to rise up to the challenge at the weekend.
#Bruno Fernandes vs Pascal Gros
Who will run the show from midfield? Both Bruno Fernandes and Pascal Gros are integral to how both teams operate.
Despite United’s indifferent start to the Premier League campaign, Fernandes picked up the club’s first Player of the Month award. He had a fruitful international break, scoring twice and bagging three assists to help Portugal register wins over Slovakia and Luxembourg in the 2024 Euro qualifiers. And the playmaker will be hoping to carry his good form into the next run of fixtures.
A creative machine, Fernandes will look to unlock the Brighton backline from his preferred No.10 role. De Zerbi will be wary of the United skipper’s threat and could task Gros to keep a close check on him. Gros has been effectively playing a deeper midfield role for the Seagulls, affecting the game in both boxes. And United is one of the German’s favourite opponents, having scored six goals in 13 league appearances.
So, it will be intriguing to watch who comes out on top at Old Trafford.
