Brighton vs Manchester United: Preview, Team News, Possible Lineups, Time and Score Prediction

Michael Carrick will take the helm for his first official match as Manchester United's permanent head coach this Sunday, as the Red Devils travel to face Brighton & Hove Albion in the final game of the Premier League season.

With their third-place finish already secured, Manchester United head into the fixture with little pressure. In contrast, Brighton, currently seventh, have everything to play for as they aim to secure a spot in European competition for next season.

The stakes are high for Brighton on the final day of the campaign. Fabian Hurzeler's side is fighting to secure European football for the 2026-27 season, with even a Champions League spot still a remote possibility.

As it stands, the Seagulls occupy seventh place, which guarantees a spot in the Europa League group stage. However, they are just one point ahead of eighth-placed Chelsea, who are in a Conference League playoff position.

With ninth-placed Brentford only a point further back, Brighton could still miss out on Europe entirely if results go against them.

Conversely, they are only three points behind sixth-placed Bournemouth. Should Aston Villa finish fifth, that sixth spot would be upgraded to a Champions League position, adding another layer of intrigue to the final day.

Brighton will be looking to bounce back from a recent 1-0 loss to Leeds United, a result that marked their second defeat in their last three league matches.

However, they can draw confidence from their strong recent record against Manchester United, having won seven of their last ten encounters across all competitions, including a 2-1 FA Cup victory in January.

For Manchester United, the match marks a celebratory moment following the confirmation of Michael Carrick as their permanent manager.

The Englishman, who signed a contract until the summer of 2028, has impressed since taking over from Ruben Amorim in January, winning 11 of his 16 Premier League games.

With third place locked in, United can play with freedom. The team comes into this game on the back of a 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest, their fourth win in the last five league outings. Their last away fixture, however, was a goalless draw against Sunderland on May 9.

Having secured their return to the Champions League for the 2026-27 season, Carrick will face a new set of challenges next term. The Red Devils have been solid on the road this season, boasting the league's fourth-best away record with 26 points from 18 matches and only four defeats.

Brighton will be without several key players due to injury, including Stefanos Tzimas (knee), Kaoru Mitoma (thigh), and Adam Webster (knee). Midfielder Mats Wieffer is also a major doubt with an ankle issue.

Manager Fabian Hurzeler may opt to field the same starting eleven that faced Leeds, with former United striker Danny Welbeck expected to lead the line.

The match could also be a final appearance for midfielder Carlos Baleba, who has been linked with a summer move to Old Trafford.

For Manchester United, Matthijs de Ligt remains sidelined with a back problem, while Benjamin Sesko is a significant doubt due to a shin injury that has kept him out of the last two games.

Casemiro, who made his final appearance against Forest, will not be involved, potentially opening the door for Mason Mount to start in central midfield.

Youngster Shea Lacey could feature in the squad, but Carrick is expected to name a strong lineup. Harry Maguire is likely to start despite his recent omission from the England squad.

All eyes will be on Bruno Fernandes, who needs just one more assist to set a new all-time record for a single Premier League season, currently sharing the top spot with Kevin De Bruyne and Thierry Henry on 20.

Brighton & Hove Albion Possible Starting Lineup: Verbruggen; Veltman, Van Hecke, Dunk, Cuyper; Hinshelwood, Baleba, Gross; Minteh, Welbeck, Kadioglu

Manchester United Possible Starting Lineup: Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Mainoo, Mount; Amad, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo

Prediction: Brighton & Hove Albion 2-2 Manchester United

Remarkably, there has never been a Premier League draw between these two clubs, and their last stalemate in any competition was back in May 1983.

With Brighton fighting for Europe and United playing with freedom, we predict that the long-standing record will finally be broken with a hard-fought draw at the Amex Stadium.