7 g/a in 11 games: £39m Man Utd star has big role to play vs 'bogey club' Brighton on Saturday

Manchester United will be eyeing a third-straight Premier League win when they host Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford on Saturday.

The Red Devils registered an impressive 2-1 victory over rivals Liverpool at Anfield last weekend. They could have easily won by a bigger margin.

With the result, the club picked up back-to-back league wins for the first time under manager Ruben Amorim. They have the opportunity to extend the streak this weekend.

On paper, United have a better squad than Brighton, but the South Coast outfit have become a bogey club for them over the past few years.

The recent Premier League record between the clubs has been undoubtedly one-sided, with Brighton winning six of the previous seven games.

Brighton changed their manager last season, with Fabian Hurzeler replacing Roberto De Zerbi, but they still did the double over the Red Devils.

Hence, United can’t afford any complacency and must replicate their performance at Anfield to secure maximum points on Saturday evening.

Ahead of the game, we believe Bruno Fernandes could have a key role to play against the Seagulls.

The Portugal international has been brilliant against Brighton in the past. He has accumulated five goals and two assists from 11 league meetings.

The £39 million-rated star has played in a deeper central midfield role this campaign with the arrivals of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.

Fernandes has not been at his prime in the number eight position, but he had his best game at Anfield, where he was instrumental for both goals.

The playmaker showed his quick thinking to release Amad for the opener. The Ivorian provided the assist for Bryan Mbeumo’s goal after 62 seconds.

Right before his substitution, Fernandes delivered a perfect cross for Harry Maguire to bag the winner.

The club captain is unlikely to contribute regular goals with more defensive duties this term, but he can still make his mark with his precise distribution.

Fernandes has the quality to deliver quality passes from deep, and the Portuguese should seek to provide more through balls and long balls over the top.

We anticipate Benjamin Sesko to lead the line against Brighton. Matheus Cunha could line up alongside Bryan Mbeumo in attacking midfield, with Mason Mount dropping out.

Sesko is known for his ability to run behind defences with his raw pace. Fernandes could be key to getting the best out of the Slovenian on the counter-attack this weekend.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com

Article written by Sri Aswin .