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Premier League giants Manchester United will host Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford on August 7 in their first 2022-23 Premier League match. The fixture sees new manager Erik ten Hag mark his debut in England's top-flight football.
United have had their struggles on the pitch since Sir Alex Ferguson retired as their manager. It only got worse last season as the club finished with a record low points tally in a Premier League season (58).
Manchester United need to revive their Premier League stature
The Red Devils were victorious against Brighton in their home fixture last season but were thrashed 4-0 away by the Seagulls. United will be looking to avenge that, but it won't be easy against Graham Potter's resilient side.
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Erik ten Hag does have a lot to ponder when it comes to his starting XI for the opening fixture. On that note, let's take a look at how Manchester United could lineup against Brighton on Sunday.
Formation : 4-2-3-1
GK: David De Gea
The Spanish goalkeeper has been an amazing servant for United and has been a key player ever since Sir Alex retired. That being said, David De Gea has had his fair share of struggles and wasn't quite at his best last season as he managed to keep 8 cleansheets in 38 appearances.
The Spaniard's passing abilities have been questioned at times and will be a test for him in adapting to Ten Hag's style of football. With Dean Henderson out on loan at Nottingham Forest, De Gea is definitely United's first-choice keeper and will be starting against Brighton.
RB: Diogo Dalot
Among the positions that United have seen players struggle in, right-back is definitely one of them. Both Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have not performed to their best and have lacked consistency.
That being said, Dalot has looked quite positive in the pre-season matches and is touted to start against Brighton on Sunday. His attacking style of play should be an asset on the right against the Seagulls.
CB: Harry Maguire
Last season was one to forget for Harry Maguire as he struggled with poor form and severe criticism from fans around the world. With his ball-playing and defensive abilities, the Englishman is capable of being a valuable player at the back.
Despite his struggles last season, Erik ten Hag has shown a lot of faith in him and handed him the United captaincy. Hopefully, this positive approach will incite Maguire to turn around his form and exceed expectations this season. The English defender is expected to start on Sunday.
CB: Lisandro Martinez
One of the trickiest decisions for Erik ten Hag on Sunday would be in deciding Maguire's partner in central defense. Raphael Varane, Eric Bailly, Victor Lindelof, and Lisandro Martinez are the options available for the Dutchman in this case.
As per AS, the United manager has opted to start Lisandro Martinez alongside Maguire for the fixture against Brighton. It will be fascinating to see how the Argentine defender performs in his Premier League debut.
LB: Tyrell Malacia
Not many were aware of Tyrell Malacia until Manchester United decided to sign the Dutchman this summer. The 22-year-old left-back came through the ranks at Feyenoord and has looked quite solid in pre-season matches.
While Luke Shaw hasn't looked as sharp as Malacia, it is likely that Ten Hag might go with the latter against Brighton. It will be interesting to see what the Dutch defender is able to offer on the left flank.
CM: Scott McTominay
With Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba and Andreas Pereira leaving, United are quite short on midfield options despite having signed Christian Eriksen on a free this summer.
While the Danish midfielder provides a lot of experience, his fitness level might not prompt Ten Hag to start him against Brighton. Scott McTominay was regularly used in pre-season and is more than likely to feature in the starting XI on Sunday.
CM: Fred
Manchester United's pursuit of Frenkie de Jong this summer is yet to reach any outcome. As per The Express, the Dutchman is likelier to join Chelsea if he opts to leave Barcelona.
While this uncertainty is bad news for United, the Red Devils will have to make use of the options available at their disposal. Fred has looked sharp and lively in midfield and is the likely candidate to start against Brighton.
RM: Jadon Sancho
Jadon Sancho was probably one of United's best players on the pre-season tour. The English winger has scored three goals in four games and looks lively with his creative abilities.
With Ten Hag's style of attacking play, Sancho looks more confident on the ball and has linked up well with his attacking teammates. After recovering from illness, the Englishman is fit to play against Brighton and will be looked upon to make the difference.
CAM: Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes ended last season with ten goals and six assists in the Premier League. Despite this, the Portuguese was criticized for not stepping up in the big games.
Using his playmaking abilities, Bruno is one of the most creative players in the league right now. For United to be more successful, the Portuguese maestro will have to be at his very best.
LM: Marcus Rashford
Along with Bruno, Marcus Rashford too received severe criticism for his performance on the pitch, having scored four goals and registered two assists last season. The Englishman looked lost more often than not and was poor with his decision-making.
The 24-year-old winger has trained well this summer and looks fit and sharp given his performances in pre-season matches. Rashford is expected to start on the left wing against Brighton and should be effective with his blistering pace and quick footwork.
ST: Cristiano Ronaldo
A lot of talk has gone around this summer regarding the future of Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United. As per Sky Sports, the Portuguese is still keen on leaving the Red Devils to play in the Champions League this season.
That being said, he has struggled to find a new club for himself so far. With Anthony Martial suffering from a hamstring injury, Erik ten Hag is likely to start Ronaldo despite his future being unclear at the club.
