Manchester United aim for European placing against Brighton
Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United face a trip to the Amex to face Brighton in the final fixture of the 2023/24 Premier League calendar.
Two positions and nine points separate the sides, with United holding the high ground in eighth position ahead of Sunday’s 16:00 BST outing.
For Ten Hag’s side, three points is the target if European football is to be a factor at Old Trafford next season, with Newcastle sitting one position and 24 goals better off ahead of kick-off.
For Brighton, it will be the club’s final fixture with Roberto De Zerbi as chief, with the Seagulls confirming his departure by mutual agreement after the final whistle.
Team news
The Reds received a much-needed defensive boost on Friday with news that Victor Lindelof and Raphael Varane took part in first-team sessions at Carrington.
Pictured alongside their Manchester United teammates on the club’s official website, the defensive pair have joined the fit-again Lisandro Martinez in supplying a badly-needed defensive outlet for André Onana and Ten Hag.
Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford should be available for selection, with Mason Mount again uncertain and Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw unavailable for the fixture.
The home side are enduring a defensive crisis of their own, with Lewis Dunk and Joel Veltman ruled out and Jan Paul van Hecke uncertain.
Irish sensation Evan Ferguson joins Pervis Estupinan, Solly March, Jack Hinshelwood, James Milner and Kaoru Mitoma as absentees.
Key information
United have lost each of their last four fixtures against Brighton and suffered defeat in four of their six visits to the Amex – the highest away loss rate against any Premier League opposition.
But Brighton have tasted defeat in four final-day outings during their six seasons in the competition, leaving a sense of uncertainty considering the injury issues and news of their departing manager.
There are plenty of European ramifications to consider, with the Europa League and Conference League participants coming into play.
If Ten Hags side were to win the FA Cup and place seventh or Eighth in the table, fifth place would join the Reds in Europe’s second-tier competition, with sixth place moving to the third-tier.
However, if Manchester City were to win back-to-back FA Cup trophies, sixth place in the Premier League qualifies for the Europa League, with seventh place entering the Conference League and the side in eighth enduring a season without any European exploits.
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