Manchester United Set to Face Brighton at Old Trafford
Rob Dawson, Oct 24, 2025, 03:00 AM ET
Ruben Amorim recently celebrated a significant milestone in his tenure at Manchester United, having secured a 2-1 victory against Liverpool last Sunday. This marked the first instance of back-to-back Premier League wins for Amorim since he took over the role nearly a year ago. Notably, he became the first United manager to triumph at Anfield since 2016.
However, the upcoming match against Brighton at Old Trafford on Saturday is poised to be even more crucial. Despite the challenges Amorim has encountered since his appointment in November 2024, United’s performance against other top teams in the league has remained commendable. In 11 Premier League encounters against top-tier clubs – including Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham Hotspur – he has achieved three wins, three draws, and five losses. The recent win against Liverpool emphasized a point made by the 40-year-old coach earlier in the season: that United possesses the capability to win against any Premier League opponent.
Amorim has also fared well against newly promoted teams, winning five times and drawing once in six matches against clubs like Ipswich Town, Southampton, and Leicester City last season, along with Burnley and Sunderland in the current campaign. Initially, it seemed his squad could thrive only against teams that had recently come up from the Championship. However, in contests against the remaining 11 clubs, including Brighton, Bournemouth, Newcastle United, and Aston Villa, United’s record drops substantially, tallying only three wins, three draws, and 12 defeats out of 18 games.
United’s primary challenge lies not in matches against giants like Liverpool or Manchester City, but rather against teams outside the elite circle.
Against the top six clubs, Amorim’s win rate stands at 27.7%, with an average of 1.09 points per game. Conversely, his statistics against newly promoted teams boast an impressive 83.3% win rate and 2.67 points per game. However, his overall win percentage against other clubs falls to 16.67%, with a meager 0.67 points per game.
While the victory over Liverpool was significant, success against Brighton may serve as a more accurate measure of United’s progress this season.
Amorim recognizes that games against teams like Brighton carry their own kind of tension. The expectation to win weighs heavily, and with it comes the desire to secure victory in a specific manner. Prior to facing Liverpool, Amorim noted the difference in performance when the stakes are high. “Maybe the expectations affect the way we play,” he remarked. “When you have to win, it’s much harder to perform well.” This sentiment underscored his observations about how players sometimes find it easier to compete when they are not burdened by high expectations.
The match against Liverpool featured significant pressure for both sides. Liverpool, despite facing three consecutive defeats leading into the game, were still viewed as favorites. In contrast, Amorim understands that United is expected to secure three points against Brighton.
Amorim sought to manage the narrative surrounding his team following the triumph at Anfield, suggesting the media focus should remain on their current form. “I want the perception to stay the same; it benefits me,” he stated.
The challenge for Amorim is to instill a playing style that allows his team to perform consistently. Even before joining Manchester, he cautioned against fans being overly optimistic. After his former team, Sporting CP, shocked Manchester City with a 4-1 victory while having less possession, he urged moderation in expectations from United supporters.
During his tenure at United, he acknowledged that his squad tends to perform better when they adopt a defensive approach, even if it’s not their intended style. “It’s clear, and it poses a struggle for me. Defenders like Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt are formidable in close quarters, but when there’s space to cover, their game changes.” He noted that some players feel more at ease within a compact defensive formation.
While Liverpool presented a complex challenge, Amorim knows Brighton at home poses a different scenario. Brighton secured a 3-1 victory at Old Trafford earlier this year, despite having less possession and fewer shots. Just a week after facing Brighton, United will travel to Nottingham Forest, where they suffered a 1-0 defeat last April despite dominating possession and shots on goal.
Ultimately, Brighton and Forest will present new challenges for Amorim, which thus far have proven difficult to navigate. Amorim labeled the result against Liverpool as “the biggest win in my time at Manchester United,” underscoring its significance. However, the real test of progress will emerge this weekend, a fact acknowledged by Amorim himself after the Liverpool match: “It has been a good day. Now, we must focus on Brighton; we will see after that.” For Amorim, the matchup against Brighton has become of paramount importance.n
