Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson is expecting Manchester United to drop more points when they play Brighton at Old Trafford this weekend.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side are in decent form heading into Saturday’s game, having beaten Newcastle last time out, and Merson says he can see the Seagulls causing the home side all sorts of problems:
“This game could turn out to be a bit of a nightmare for Manchester United as Brighton are a hard team to play against. Erik ten Hag has a few issues to address and it’ll be interesting to see who starts up front.”
Merson has gone with a 2-2 draw, which would be a very disappointing result for United fans, who would be hoping to get back on track after losing their last match against Arsenal.
However, you do have to take into account the opponent. Brighton won on the opening day of last season in the corresponding fixture and Erik ten Hag’s side will need to be at their best if they are to secure the points.
United in turmoil off the pitch
The clash between Jadon Sancho and ten Hag, combined with Antony’s enforced absence, does suggest the club are in crisis mode at the moment.
As Merson mentions, with the two players unavailable, it does limit the options that United have up front.
Of course, there is nothing to say that this team can’t defy expectations and get their season back on track with a victory on Saturday. There are still plenty of quality players in the squad, even in forward positions. Rasmus Hojlund could start his first game for the club, while the likes of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Anthony Martial can still be called upon. It is certainly not an ideal scenario, though, heading into a difficult match.
