"Going to be another difficult test for them" - Chris Sutton makes score prediction for Manchester United v Brighton
Pundit Chris Sutton reckons Brighton & Hove Albion could give Manchester United a run for their money in their Premier League clash at Old Trafford on Saturday (September 16).
The Red Devils have had a tough start to the season, garnering six points from four games. They're 11th in the standings — five places and three points below Brighton.
United lost 2-0 at Tottenham Hotspur and 3-1 at Arsenal, while their wins against Nottingham Forest (3-2) and Wolverhampton Wanderers (1-0) at home weren't overly convincing. Sutton reckons the Seagulls could have enough in their tank to secure a memorable win in Manchester.
The former Chelsea striker wrote in his predictions column on BBC:
"Manchester United have not got started yet, and this is going to be another difficult test for them. Brighton won at Old Trafford at the start of last season, and they will believe they can repeat that result. They certainly won't change the way they play, and they won't fear Manchester United either.
"Maybe this is the game where United find their feet - we know they can counter-attack really well, and the way Brighton play might suit them. But I just don't see it. ... If United play the way I am expecting them to, that would play into Brighton's hands. ... I have a feeling the Seagulls will edge it."
Sutton predicts a 3-2 win for Brighton at Old Trafford. The South Coast outfit have won their last three Premier League meetings against Manchester United, including a 2-1 win at Old Trafford in August 2022.
Pundit urges Manchester United to start Rasmus Hojlund against Brighton
Former United defender Paul Parker has said that failure to start Rasmus Hojlund could prove to be catastrophic for Erik ten Hag.
Hojlund made his debut for the English giants in the 3-1 defeat at Arsenal before the international breaak. He came on as a second-half substitute for Anthony Martial, who, Parker reckons, is not good enough to play for the club.
Parker told Danish outlet SpilXperten (h/t CaughtOffside):
"If he doesn’t start against Brighton, then all fans will want Erik ten Hag fired, and it would almost be justified. It wouldn’t make any sense if he started on the bench. Martial shouldn’t even be on the bench.
"There must be a youth player who is better who can sit on the bench, and Hojlund can be the first striker. All Manchester United fans are fed up with seeing a player with a lousy attitude, who always sulks and complains."
Hojlund arrived for £72 million from Atalanta this summer, but his debut was delayed as he recovered from a back injury.