Old Trafford sets the stage for a high-stakes FA Cup third-round encounter this Sunday as Manchester United look to find their footing in the post-Ruben Amorim era against a dangerous Brighton side.
Interim head coach Darren Fletcher leads the Red Devils for the first time at home following a midweek 2-2 draw at Burnley. While United have a historically perfect FA Cup record against the Seagulls—winning all six previous meetings in the competition—Fabian Hürzeler’s Brighton arrive full of confidence after holding Manchester City to a 1-1 draw on Wednesday. With the Red Devils winless in their last three outings and Brighton looking to replicate their recent league success at the Theatre of Dreams, this tie promises to be a captivating battle for a spot in the fourth round.
Manchester United vs Brighton – FA Cup Preview and Team News
- Date: Sunday, 11 January 2026
- Kick-off: 16:30 GMT
- Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester
- Referee: Simon Hooper
- VAR: Not in operation
- Last Meeting: Manchester United 4–2 Brighton, 25 October 2025 (Premier League)
Team News
Manchester United
Interim boss Darren Fletcher welcomed Bruno Fernandes, Mason Mount, and Kobbie Mainoo back to action in midweek, and all three are in contention to start on Sunday. Harry Maguire also returned to the squad as an unused substitute and may feature if his workload is managed correctly. However, the hosts are still without Matthijs de Ligt (back), while Amad Diallo, Noussair Mazraoui, and Bryan Mbeumo remain away on Africa Cup of Nations duty.
Brighton
Fabian Hürzeler has confirmed that Joël Veltman and Charalampos Kostoulas should be available after injury, though Yankuba Minteh (dead leg) faces a late fitness test. The Seagulls remain without Mats Wieffer (toe), Solly March (knee), Adam Webster (knee), and Stefanos Tzimas (knee). Midfielder Carlos Baleba is also unavailable due to international commitments at AFCON.
Form
Manchester United
Manchester United enter the game on a run of three consecutive draws for the first time since December 2023. Despite their recent instability, the Red Devils have a formidable Third-Round Reliability, having been eliminated at this stage only twice in their last 40 attempts. Notably, striker Matheus Cunha has scored in each of his last four games in this competition and could become only the fifth Premier League player to score in five consecutive FA Cup games on Sunday.
Brighton
Brighton have progressed from 14 of their last 16 FA Cup third-round ties, advancing beyond this stage every year since 2020. While they were beaten 4-2 at Old Trafford earlier this season, the Seagulls have been Old Trafford Specialists recently, winning three of their last four visits to the Theatre of Dreams. Hürzeler’s side has shown defensive resilience lately, exemplified by their gritty 1-1 draw at the Etihad in midweek.
Predicted Lineups
Manchester United predicted XI: Lammens; Dalot, Yoro, Martínez, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Cunha, Fernandes, Dorgu; Šeško
Brighton predicted XI: Steele; Veltman, Coppola, Dunk, Kadıoğlu; Ayari, Gros; Gruda, Rutter, Watson; Welbeck
How to Watch Manchester United vs Brighton?
The match will be broadcast live in the UK on TNT Sports 1 and discovery+, with coverage starting at 16:00 GMT.
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