Rúben Amorim to reinstate 13-appearance star as Manchester United face Brighton (Premier League)

Rúben Amorim is set to reinstate one of his most-used players as Manchester United welcome Brighton to Old Trafford in a Premier League fixture on Sunday afternoon.

Manchester United are gearing up for their second Old Trafford clash in a week as Brighton & Hove Albion travel north to take on Rúben Amorim’s side.

The Reds have begun the new year on a more positive note, following a challenging end to 2024. They earned a hard-fought draw against Liverpool, triumphed over Arsenal in a penalty shootout, and sealed a dramatic 3-1 victory against Southampton, courtesy of a stunning 12-minute hat-trick from Amad.

Despite the win, the team faced criticism for a lacklustre overall display against Southampton, with all three goals coming late in the game.

Amorim will undoubtedly demand a more composed and convincing performance from his squad on Sunday afternoon, with significant changes to the starting XI anticipated.

Amorim to reinstate Dalot in United’s squad

The most significant change that’s expected when United face Brighton is that Diogo Dalot will be reinstated into the squad.

The Portuguese international missed United’s victory over Southampton due to suspension after his red card against Arsenal in the FA Cup last weekend saw the player serve a one-match ban.

Dalot has made 13 appearances under Amorim so far, having started all but one of the Portuguese head coach’s United fixtures before his ban. Only Bruno Fernandes and Noussair Mazraoui have played all 14 of his fixtures.

Dalot will likely replace 16-year-old centre-back Godwill Kukonki in the squad, and no further changes are expected.

Marcus Rashford has not played a minute for United since he announced his desire for a new challenge away from the club, while injuries are keeping several other players away from the action.

Luke Shaw is expected to return in a few weeks, while Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelöf have not made an appearance since the club’s Carabao Cup loss against Tottenham Hotspur last month.

Mason Mount is rumoured to be out until March with a hamring issue sustained against Manchester City.

Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte were both withdrawn before 55 minutes against Southampton, but the boss confirmed after the game that this was due to tiredness more than anything else.

United predicted squad vs Brighton

Goalkeepers: André Onana, Altay Bayındır.
Defenders: Noussair Mazraoui, Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire, Leny Yoro, Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia, Diogo Dalot.
Midfielders: Casemiro, Manuel Ugarte, Kobbie Mainoo, Christian Eriksen, Toby Collyer, Bruno Fernandes.
Forwards: Amad, Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Højlund, Joshua Zirkzee.

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