Manchester United will look to put a frustrating derby defeat behind them when Brighton & Hove Albion visit Old Trafford in the EFL Cup third round on Wednesday evening.

Michael Carrick’s side have struggled for momentum during the opening weeks of the campaign, whereas Brighton arrive in Manchester having produced their most emphatic performance of the season in a 5-0 demolition of Coventry City.

Analysis

Manchester United

Sunday’s Manchester derby provided another reminder that United remain some distance from finding their best form. The Red Devils played for more than an hour against 10 men following Phil Foden’s first-half dismissal, but they could not turn their numerical advantage into sustained attacking pressure. Erling Haaland eventually scored the only goal of the contest, albeit in controversial circumstances with United unhappy that Enzo Fernandez was not penalised for interfering with play from an offside position.

Whatever their complaints about the goal, the bigger concern for Carrick will be what happened at the other end. United created very little against a depleted City defence and managed only one serious attempt to beat Gianluigi Donnarumma late in the game.

That continues an underwhelming domestic start. United have taken only four points from their first four Premier League fixtures, with their sole victory coming in the 5-2 win over Ipswich Town.

Defensively, there has also been little stability. Carrick’s team have conceded seven league goals and are still waiting for their first Premier League clean sheet of 2026-27.

The Champions League victory over Sabah demonstrated what United can do when given space and control of a game, but Brighton should pose a substantially more difficult challenge.

The EFL Cup also carries added significance after last season’s humiliating second-round elimination by League Two side Grimsby Town. United have lifted the trophy six times, most recently in 2023, and another early departure would increase the scrutiny surrounding their start to the season.

Carrick is likely to rotate after the physical demands of the derby. Benjamin Sesko has a strong case to replace Matheus Cunha through the middle, while Andrey Santos could be introduced in midfield.

United’s injury list remains substantial. Matthijs de Ligt, Manuel Ugarte, Amad Diallo, Tom Heaton and summer signing Carlos Baleba are unavailable, while Luke Shaw faces a late fitness check after sitting out the City game.

Brighton

Brighton’s mood could hardly be more different. Fabian Hurzeler’s side have collected seven points from four Premier League games and their attacking output has been particularly impressive, with 13 goals already scored in the competition.

Five of those arrived at Coventry on Sunday. The Seagulls took full advantage after their opponents were reduced to 10 men, but there was still plenty to admire about the ruthlessness of their performance. Five different players found the net in the 5-0 victory, illustrating the variety of attacking options available to Hurzeler even with several forwards unavailable.

Brighton’s work without the ball has also been encouraging. Bart Verbruggen made six saves against Coventry and has now recorded four clean sheets in six appearances across all competitions.

Pascal Gross continues to exert enormous influence following his return to the club. The experienced midfielder contributed a goal and two assists at the weekend and has traditionally enjoyed facing Manchester United, scoring seven times against them during his career.

Hurzeler nevertheless has his own sizeable injury list to manage. Yankuba Minteh and Kaoru Mitoma are among the attacking absentees, while Jack Hinshelwood, Mats Wieffer, Stefanos Tzimas and Evan Ferguson are also sidelined. Georginio Rutter, Femi Azeez and Michael Svoboda require late assessments.

That may encourage some rotation at Old Trafford, particularly with a Premier League meeting against Arsenal coming next.

Brighton’s recent record against United should remove any sense of intimidation, though. The Seagulls have won seven of the last 11 meetings between the clubs in all competitions, including four victories at Old Trafford.

Their cup history is considerably less impressive. Brighton have never won the League Cup and have reached the quarter-finals just once, all the way back in 1978-79. A victory on Wednesday would therefore represent another opportunity for Hurzeler’s developing side to improve the club’s record in knockout competition.

Verdict

United’s home advantage makes this an intriguing contest, but their attacking performance in the derby was difficult to ignore. Having played against 10 men for the majority of the match, Carrick will have expected substantially more creativity and urgency.

Brighton arrive with confidence and goals throughout their side. Even allowing for their injury problems and the likelihood of rotation, Hurzeler has enough attacking depth to cause problems for a United defence that has looked vulnerable throughout the opening weeks.

Cup ties between two rotated Premier League teams can be difficult to anticipate, but Brighton’s current fluency in the final third may prove decisive.

Our prediction: Manchester United 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion.

Tip

Our tip: Brighton to qualify.