Brighton’s Old Trafford Record Puts Manchester United Under Pressure

Brighton & Hove Albion return to Old Trafford on Wednesday for an EFL Cup third-round match against Manchester United. Kick-off is set for 20:00 BST (17:00 ET / 12:00 PT).

Manchester United have managed a single win from their opening four Premier League fixtures this season, conceding seven goals and yet to keep a clean sheet. They enter the cup tie after a 1-0 local derby loss to Manchester City, with Michael Carrick’s side failing to equalize despite City playing the majority of the second half with 10 men.

Brighton have registered 13 goals across their first four Premier League matches. Their recent 5-0 victory over Coventry was the joint-second largest Premier League win in the club’s history.

The EFL Cup was established in 1960 and is currently known as the Carabao Cup for sponsorship reasons. Manchester United are six-time winners of the League Cup, lifting the trophy in 1992, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2017, and most recently in February 2023, when they defeated Newcastle United 2-0 in the final at Wembley Stadium.

Brighton have emerged victorious in four of their last five visits to Old Trafford across all competitions. The Seagulls have also won seven of the last 11 meetings between the two clubs, continuing a broader spell of dominance over the 20-time English champions.

Pascal Groß has scored seven career goals against Manchester United, making the Manchester club Groß’s most frequent goalscoring opponent across all competitions.

The clubs’ earlier encounters were dominated by Manchester United, including a 4-0 replay victory over Brighton in the 1983 FA Cup final after the initial match ended 2-2. Brighton secured their first-ever victory at Old Trafford in August 2022, recording a 2-1 win, and have maintained an advantage in recent head-to-head encounters.

In the United Kingdom, live television coverage will be broadcast across ITV1, Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football, and Sky Sports Ultra. Digital streaming is available through the ITVX platform and the ITV website. Sky Sports coverage can also be accessed via Now TV, which offers daily memberships for £14.99, 12-month commitments at £27.99 per month, or non-contract monthly passes for £34.99.