Mainoo Set for Breakthrough Moment as Man Utd Eye FA Cup Glory Against Brighton
Manchester United have the opportunity to secure their place in the FA Cup fourth round this Sunday when they welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to Old Trafford.
The Red Devils began life after Ruben Amorim with a lackluster draw that epitomized the Portuguese manager's tenure, as interim manager Darren Fletcher seeks substantial improvements following the 2–2 deadlock at Burnley.
The FA Cup presents an opportunity for meaningful distraction for United fans this campaign—much like when they claimed the silverware in 2023–24—and considering their absence from European competition and early League Cup elimination, they ought to approach cup competitions with seriousness.
Fletcher looks set to field a robust starting eleven for Brighton's arrival, maintaining the 4-2-3-1 system deployed against Burnley. The availability of crucial players returning from fitness issues only enhances his selection choices against a team that has troubled United recently.
Here's the anticipated United starting XI for Sunday's third round encounter.
Man Utd Predicted Lineup vs. Brighton (4-2-3-1)
GK: Senne Lammens—Altay Bayındır might receive a chance, but why take the gamble? Lammens provides reliability between the posts and United needn't concern themselves with fatigue given six days' rest before the Manchester derby.
RB: Diogo Dalot—Noussair Mazraoui's comeback has been postponed further due to Morocco's recent advancement to the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals. Dalot will be called upon to start once more on Sunday.
CB: Leny Yoro—Heaven's mistake at Leeds United was followed by an unfortunate own goal versus Burnley in midweek, potentially opening the door for Yoro's return to the first team. The French defender's playing time has been restricted recently.
CB: Lisandro Martínez—Harry Maguire's return provides United with additional defensive options, but Martínez should retain his starting position despite the Englishman's availability.
LB: Luke Shaw—The switch back to a four-man defense sees Shaw return to his preferred left-back position. He'll be mindful of the threat posed by Yankuba Minteh, the pacey winger who may recover from injury in time for Old Trafford.
DM: Casemiro—Casemiro struggled against Burnley but can draw confidence from his display in United's victory over Brighton months ago. He found the net and provided an assist in that entertaining win.
DM: Kobbie Mainoo—Playing time was scarce under Amorim, but Mainoo could be given the opportunity to shine on Sunday. Having recovered from injury against Burnley, this represents the perfect moment for the midfielder to demonstrate his worth.
RW: Matheus Cunha—Bryan Mbeumo's return, following his recent AFCON exit with Cameroon, should provide United with enhanced quality in wide areas, as Cunha appears less effective when deployed away from central positions.
AM: Bruno Fernandes—Fernandes's unavailability has been pivotal to United's poor sequence of results, and the Portuguese captain should earn consecutive starts after featuring for an hour in midweek. His presence is vital for the Red Devils' revival.
LW: Patrick Dorgu—Dorgu has been deployed as a makeshift winger during the absence of Mbeumo and Amad Diallo, excelling in an unnatural position. He may be preferred over Shaw once again for Brighton's visit.
ST: Benjamin Šeško—A midweek double should give the summer signing a valuable confidence injection. He doubled his United goal tally at Turf Moor and will aim to maintain that momentum at this crucial juncture of the season.
