Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester United Conclude the Season with Head-to-Head Match. On May 24, Brighton & Hove Albion will face Manchester United in the final round of the Premier League. Both teams still have something at stake in the standings. The spotlight is on the records and historic statistics of their rivalry.
On Sunday, May 24, the final match of the season for Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester United will take place at the American Express Stadium in Brighton. Kick-off is scheduled for 16:00 local time. Brighton concludes the championship in seventh place with 53 points, while Manchester United is in third position with 68 points. Both clubs remain motivated: the hosts are fighting for a European spot, and the visitors are seeking to secure a top-three finish.
The teams' line-ups have already been announced. Brighton & Hove Albion, led by Fabian Hürzeler, will play in a 4-2-3-1 formation: Verbruggen in goal; Wieffer, van Hecke, Dunk (captain), and Kadioglu in defense; Milner, Groß, Gómez, Hinshelwood, and De Cuyper in midfield; and Welbeck in attack. On the bench are Boscagli, Kostoulas, March, Minteh, O'Riley, Baleba, Rutter, Steele, and Veltman.
Manchester United, under the management of Michael Carrick, has also chosen a 4-2-3-1 formation: Lammens in goal; Mazraoui, Maguire, Martínez, and Shaw in defense; Mainoo and Mount in central midfield; Dorgu and Diallo on the flanks; Mbeumo as the central forward; with Bruno Fernandes once again serving as captain. Among the substitutes are Bayindir, Tyler Fletcher, Heaven, Lacey, Malacia, Matheus Cunha, Ugarte, Yoro, and Zirkzee.
The refereeing team, led by Samuel Barrott, will monitor the proceedings. Stuart Attwell is responsible for the video reviews, with Simon Bennett and Blake Antrobus serving as assistants. Ruebyn Ricardo has been appointed fourth official, and Steven Meredith will assist with VAR.
Historical statistics add intrigue: Brighton & Hove Albion has the highest win rate against Manchester United among all Premier League opponents—47% overall and 63% on home turf. In 17 league meetings, a draw has never been recorded. Manchester United is aiming for their first league double over Brighton since the 2020/21 season, having the opportunity to win both matches this campaign.
Special attention is on Danny Welbeck, who could play his 400th Premier League match. Notably, he has scored most frequently against Manchester United. For the visitors, Bruno Fernandes is in the spotlight: his 20 assists this season are just one short of the tournament's all-time record.
Brighton approaches the match with mixed results: victories over Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea were followed by defeats to Leeds United and Newcastle United. Manchester United, on the other hand, shows consistency — wins against Nottingham Forest, Liverpool, Brentford, and Chelsea, as well as a draw with Sunderland. In the context of the fight for European competitions and final league standings, this meeting takes on special significance.
Attention to Manchester United has been especially high in recent weeks: the club recently played a key match against Brentford, where the fate of a Champions League spot was at stake. Details of that meeting are available in the article about Manchester United's fight for a Champions League place.
For reference: The English Premier League is considered one of the most competitive football leagues in Europe. In recent years, Brighton & Hove Albion has strengthened its position in the top part of the table, while Manchester United traditionally ranks among the favorites. The teams' final positions may influence the allocation of European competition slots and league revenue. In the 2025/26 season, the battle for the top 7 remained intense until the final round.
