(Football news) The Seagulls are trying to stay out of the bottom part of the table, but the Red Devils still have a remote chance of making it to Europe.
Given the loss of several key players in the summer, Brighton was never going to be able to repeat their remarkable sixth-place result from the previous campaign. Despite their hopes of carrying on Roberto De Zerbi’s successful development, a string of injuries and a concerning decline in performance have ultimately impeded their advancement in 2023–2024.
The Seagulls have won just three of their last 15 games across all competitions, including just two victories in their last 12 Premier League matches, and they have failed to score more than once across this entire run, drawing a blank in front of goal on seven occasions.
Brighton found a way to grind out a 1-0 home win over Aston Villa before claiming a point from a 1-1 draw at Newcastle last weekend, but they came up short against a reinvigorated Chelsea outfit on Wednesday. Danny Welbeck’s 97th-minute strike was only a consolation, as earlier goals from Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku helped the Blues secure a 2-1 win at the Amex.
De Zerbi’s side cannot finish higher than their current position of 10th this season, but if they drop points on Sunday, they could slip into the bottom half and allow at least one of 11th-placed Bournemouth – sitting level on points with Brighton – 12th-placed Crystal Palace or 13th-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers – both just two points further back – to leapfrog them in the table.
Brighton have lost their final Premier League game in four of the last six campaigns, but they have enjoyed playing against Man United in recent years, as they have won each of their last four top-flight meetings; the last team to beat the Red Devils in five successive league matches was Norwich City between 1988 and 1990.
Amidst ongoing uncertainty over the future of manager Erik ten Hag, Manchester United are still in danger of being condemned to their lowest league finish and collecting their lowest points haul in 34 years heading into their final Premier League match of the season.
Manchester United have won 17, drawn six and lost a club-record 14 of their 37 league games this term and have picked up just 57 points, 11 points fewer than Aston Villa in fourth and a staggering 31 points fewer than their rivals Manchester City at the summit.
After losing back-to-back matches without scoring against Crystal Palace and Arsenal, Manchetser United secured a vital 3-2 victory in their final Old Trafford fixture of the season against Newcastle United on Wednesday, with Kobbie Mainoo, Amad Diallo and Rasmus Hojlund all on target to boost the Red Devils’ European hopes.
Ten Hag’s men are currently languishing in eighth place and sit level on points with Newcastle in seventh. They go into the final day needing to better the Magpies’ result at Brentford to secure a place in next season’s Europa Conference League. If not, they will be required to beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final to secure European football for 2024-25.
Success on Sunday is not a given for Manchester United, though, as they have failed to win any of their last five league games on the road, while they have suffered defeat in four of their six top-flight visits to Brighton (67%) – their highest loss rate away against any team in the division.
Also read: Newcastle United will play Brentford in the English Premier League
