Premier League Specials: Brighton 13/2 to do double over Manchester United

Brighton completed their first ever league double over Manchester United last season and the Seagulls are 13/2 to do the same during the 2023/24 campaign.

The rise of Brighton continues, with the club earning a maiden European voyage on the back of their sixth-place finish last season, and Roberto De Zerbi’s men look comfortable mixing it with the Premier League’s elite.

bet365’s Steve Freeth said: “In days gone by, this would’ve been billed as a David vs Goliath clash, but Brighton have taken maximum points in the last three Premier League games against Manchester United, scoring seven and conceding just one – and that was an own goal from Alexis Mac Allister.

“And to prove the point further, the Seagulls started the recent FA Cup semi-final clash at Wembley as favourites such has been their rise in recent years.

“The Old Trafford club, once the kings of Europe, showed signs of a revival of sorts in Erik ten Hag’s first year, but they’ve looked far from convincing so far in a stuttering start to the new season.”

Brighton points v Manchester United:

Rewind 15 years to when Brighton were loitering in mid-table in England’s third tier, the arrival of Tony Bloom drastically changed the club’s fortunes. 

They won League One in 2011 and quickly found themselves amongst the play-off contenders in the Championship, three times losing in the semi-finals before securing automatic promotion in 2017. 

They’ve consistently been one of the best-run clubs in the division, finally getting their rewards last season with European football coming to the Amex for the first time.

They also have an uncanny knack to move swiftly on from what felt like key players departing. The likes of Moises Caicedo, Leandro Trossard, Ben White, Marc Cucurella, Yves Bissouma, Alexis Mac Allister and Robert Sanchez have all been sold for hefty profits with the conveyor belt of arrivals making the transition between old and new seamless.

The club have made steady progress in their six years since returning to the top flight and could scarcely be more contrasting with their opponents on Saturday. 

In Ten Hag, Manchester United finally appeared to be on the right track, playing an attractive brand of football with a clear tactical identity, but the signing of Mason Mount seems to have derailed the side somewhat, with a clear imbalance between defence and attack.

The Red Devils laboured to a 1-0 win against Wolves, a game in which they were fortunate to take anything; they had their moments in the first half against Tottenham the week after but were badly exposed after the break; they then went 2-0 down inside five minutes against Nottingham Forest.

Ten Hag said he wanted his side to become ‘the best transition team’ in the world but it seems to be where United are weakest right now, being picked off at will by Wolves with Forest scoring their opener from a United corner. 

Boyhood Manchester United fan Evan Ferguson has started with a bang after his hat-trick against Newcastle United and he’s rated a 15/8 chance to score on Saturday and 4/1 to reach the 20-goal barrier this campaign.

Brighton are 23/10 to win at Old Trafford on Sunday, with the hosts 23/20, and United could do with putting a marker down and quickly. 

Liam Williams

• Manchester United F.C.
• Brighton and Hove Albion F.C.
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