Manchester United

Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United's recruitment policy has been criticised so much in recent years, much of it with good reason.

But in prioritising the signings of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo this summer, they got it spot on.

Even at a combined cost of almost £130m, the pair look like excellent value.

They bring a purpose, direction and energy to United's forward line that the club did not have before, which is exactly what Ruben Amorim wanted.

Much like Bruno Fernandes, they are happy to take risks and, unlike Rasmus Hojlund, they are a real goal threat.

Cunha will be delighted to have got off the mark, and Mbeumo now has five.

When United officials spoke about European qualification last month, most outsiders were sceptical. Now they are in a Champions League place.

• Listen to Ruben Amorim's post-match interview with BBC Radio Manchester on BBC Sounds

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim spoke to BBC's Match of the Day: It is a good feeling. To listen to the crowd, the joy, it is important. We need to enjoy that today but then prepare for the next one."

On how much of a boost last week's win over Liverpool was: "It is a very good boost, but again in our club, we have to maintain that with hard work, and when you are confident, you play better. You have better moments and a little bit of luck when you have the right spirit, so everything is in our favour at the moment, but we have to keep working hard to maintain that.

"It is hard [at 3-2], but we had some moments in the past when the spirit was a little bit different, and we suffered more, but today we scored the last goal because I felt we could deal with bad moments in a better way than we showed last year. And when you have a better spirit, you have a bit of luck."

On Cunha: "He was struggling [previously]. He can hide that, but I understood that. It is not a surprise the way he responded at Anfield or played today with and without the ball, and that is going to be massive for us. He needs to score goals; he suffers when he doesn't score, but he is a top player who decides games.

"Everything can change really quickly, but if you have that feeling and still feel confident to work, we are going to be a better team."

Goal scorer Matheus Cunha spoke to BBC's Match of the Day: "It is hard to say something now. I have worked so hard for this. This is the club and this performance needs to be common and normal. I feel so good to be part of this. My first goal here at Old Trafford, I dreamed a lot of this but of course the win is much more important."

On what his first goal meant to him: "It is so hard to say something. I joked with Bryan [Mbeumo] and [Benjamin] Sesko, I told them I need to have this feeling [scoring], I felt so anxious to be a part of this and when I scored they said 'look you can enjoy it now.' All the day the support for my team-mates, I feel so good to be part of this."

On his connection with the fans: "I am one of them. This is the club I grew up watching and to be here is a mix of sensations. To help them, it is my dream come true."

On what he was feeling at 3-2: "We need to be a bit more calm next time. We know the quality of Brighton, they always have hard games and of course they have the capacity to come back but I think in the end - it is part of the game and the most important thing is in the end that we win."

On building momentum: "I think we are there now. We need to feel this is common. This is a club that needs to be in these kind of positions and I hope we can continue like this to finish the season where we want."

Did you know?

• Manchester United have led by 2+ goals at half-time in three consecutive Premier League games at Old Trafford for the first time since November 2008.

• Since the start of last season, Manchester United forward Matheus Cunha has scored more goals from outside the box than any other Premier League player in all competitions (7).

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on United's performance

What did you make of Brighton's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Ruben Amorim makes two changes to the side that won at Liverpool.

Benjamin Sesko replaces Mason Mount, who drops to the bench. Leny Yoro comes in for Harry Maguire, who is not involved.

Amorim said on Friday Maguire had picked up a knock. He is replaced in the squad by Tyrrell Malacia, who is involved for the first time since being placed in the 'bomb squad' by Amorim at the start of pre-season training.

Manchester United XI: Lammens, Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw, Diallo, Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, Dalot, Mbeumo, Cunha, Sesko.

Subs: Bayindir, Mazraoui, Zirkzee, Dorgu, Malacia, Ugarte, Heaven, Mount, Mainoo.

Danny Welbeck returns to his old club in form after scoring four goals in his last three games.

Brighton coach Fabian Hurzeler brings in Maxim De Cuyper for Diego Gomez, the only change from the side that beat Newcastle.

The Seagulls have won on their last three visits to Old Trafford and six out of their last eight games against United.

Brighton XI: Verbruggen, Wieffer, Van Hecke, Dunk, Kadioglu, Baleba, Ayari, Minteh, Rutter, De Cuyper, Welbeck.

Subs: Steele, Tzimas, Watson, Kostoulas, Milner, Boscagli, Gomez, Coppola, Oriola.

Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim is fully aware of JJ Gabriel's promise and says the decision to bring him into a senior training session this week has a two-way benefit.

The 15-year-old has outstanding potential and is already among the top scorers at Premier League Under-18 level this season.

On Thursday, Amorim honoured a promise made in the summer that he would call Gabriel up to the senior ranks, with a number of Under-21 players not on a full session amid a tough sequence of games at their own level.

Gabriel announced the news on his own social media channels and Amorim has explained the rationale behind handing the youngster such a significant honour.

"Like everyone, I know he is a really talented guy," he said.

"We try to pick players for training that have talent, not just for me to see for tomorrow but for them to feel what it means to be in the first team, the difficulties playing against our defenders, the difficulty and pace of our training.

"If we can use every training we have to show the kids what they need to do to be here, it is important, not just for JJ but for everyone."

Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter at Leigh Sports Village

Image source, Getty Images

Diego Leon scored a sensational solo goal as Manchester United's youngsters extended their 100% start to the Premier League 2 season to seven games by beating Tottenham 4-1 at Leigh.

The full-back, who won his first senior cap for Paraguay earlier this month, was playing his second game in five days after featuring once for Travis Binnion's side previously this term.

United were already leading thanks to two first-half efforts from Wales Under-21 forward Gabriele Biancheri when Leon picked up possession on halfway and burst through a series of tackles before beating Tottenham goalkeeper Luca Gunter from 15 yards.

It was 18-year-old Leon's first United goal at any level since moving to England from South America in the summer.

Callum Olusesi had halved the deficit when he took advantage of some slack defending from the home side before the break.

But after Leon's effort, Biancheri completed his hat-trick in stoppage time, finishing off a move started by Jack Fletcher's inspired cross field pass.

There are four games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Chelsea v Sunderland (15:00) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Newcastle v Fulham (15:00) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Man Utd v Brighton (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Brentford v Liverpool (20:00)

Kick-offs 15:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Chelsea v Sunderland" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Newcastle v Fulham", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

United were lucky with their first goal against Liverpool last week because the game should have been stopped, and we've all seen the issues with the Liverpool backline this season too.

So, while I understand why any win for United against their rivals at Anfield is a massive result, it doesn't mean they have cracked it and turned a corner.

They have just managed back-to-back league wins for the first time since Ruben Amorim took charge last November, but I am not looking at them and thinking they will make it a hat-trick on Saturday.

Brighton striker Danny Welbeck impressed me when he came on the Monday Night Club this week and I am backing his boys here.

The Seagulls are always bold under Fabian Hurzeler and they will be fearless at Old Trafford too. I am backing Welbeck to get one of their goals, and haunt his former club.

It is down to United to prove me wrong, and show everyone they do have the consistency they have been lacking, and that may well be part of Amorim's team talk.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim says he does not care what Liverpool counterpart Arne Slot says about his team and is capable of judging them himself.

In the aftermath of United's surprise 2-1 win at Anfield on 19 October, Slot said United defended in a low block and largely used long ball tactics.

Speaking on Friday, Slot said his comments were supposed to be complimentary but accepted that was not how they had been interpreted.

Asked for his response, Amorim was dismissive.

"Liverpool is in the past," he said. "I don't want to comment.

"I don't care what Slot is saying. Sometimes you need to adapt to the game.

"I don't need anyone to evaluate my team. I can evaluate my team and I am really clear that we should play better with the ball."

Manchester United seek to continue their winning run against Brighton at Old Trafford on Saturday.

United's late victory at bitter rivals Liverpool last weekend was undoubtedly one of the standout moments of Ruben Amorim's tenure as he approaches a year in charge of the club.

The result ended a near decade-long winless run at Anfield and brought about back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time under the Portuguese head coach - a statistic that match winner Harry Maguire labelled "embarrassing" in his post-match interview.

"The last three or four years we'd put in a performance like this and the following game we come down again," continued Maguire last Sunday. "We have to start putting a bit more consistency together."

Whisper it quietly, but United's home form is actually quite consistent. Their only home defeat this term was by a single goal to league leaders Arsenal on the opening weekend and they have since won their past three at Old Trafford, scoring two or more goals on each occasion.

The key to another positive result this weekend could well be forward Bryan Mbeumo, who found the net after just two minutes on Sunday and has a goal and an assist in his past two games.

The Cameroon international clearly enjoys facing Brighton and has been directly involved in six goals in his past four starts against the Seagulls.

Brighton are unbeaten in four top-flight matches - winning two and drawing two - and will be confident of extending that form, such is their recent dominance against United.

The Seagulls have triumphed in six of their past seven league fixtures against the Red Devils and could become the first Premier League club to win four in a row at Old Trafford.

The last team to triumph in more successive league matches at the famous stadium was Manchester City, who put together a run of five some 53 years ago.

However, if Fabian Hurzeler's side are to maintain their grip on this fixture then they will need to sharpen up at the back. They have kept just one clean sheet in their previous 20 Premier League games and that was in a 2-0 win at Wolves in May.

One possible reason for that might lie with the German head coach's inclination to tinker. The 32-year-old has overseen 55 Brighton matches across all competitions but he is yet to name an unchanged side.

Hurzeler must be tempted to stick with last weekend's starting XI after their 2-1 victory over Newcastle and one man who should keep his place is former United academy graduate Danny Welbeck.

The striker, who turns 35 next month, found the net twice last weekend and has four goals from his past three top-flight games. Welbeck has also scored six times against his former employers and those of a blue and white persuasion will hope he can add to that tally this weekend.

Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter

Image source, PA Media

Manchester United will hold their annual coat appeal at Old Trafford around their Premier League encounter with Brighton on Saturday, to try to help young people affected by poverty over the winter.

United's Foundation has collected a total of more than 4,000 coats in the first two years of the appeal and are urging supporters to drop clean coats - both adult and children's sizes - at the various bag drop points around the stadium.

The club works with a network of 35 high schools, 35 primary schools and eight special schools and say the coats will be distributed "sensitively" to those who need them during the winter.

"It is a big ask but the fans have been amazing for the last two years and hopefully it will be the same again," said Foundation spokesperson Tom Sellers.

"This can have a massive impact on the children we work with."

Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter

Image source, Getty Images

I get the strong feeling Ruben Amorim is wary of offering any hint of confidence from the Manchester United camp.

Having been battered and bruised by 11 months of negativity, there has been a rare sense of calm around Old Trafford for three weeks now following successive victories against Sunderland and Liverpool.

It was United club board member Sir Dave Brailsford who coined the "marginal gains" theory within cycling circles. Fine margins is another way of talking about improvement or the small differences between winning and losing.

Amorim measured with his hands the gap between Cody Gakpo's header going in at Anfield last Sunday, or going wide, which is where it eventually went.

He knows only too well that the optimism around the club this week was close to not existing.

Brighton, with six wins from eight against United and three successive victories at Old Trafford, more than virtually any other team, are capable of shoving Amorim's team back in the doldrums.

Amorim really needs to avoid that.

"If you are a manager and don't win a lot of games, people are going to doubt you," he said.

"My point of view is that we need to be clear on our path and not change so much because we win one game by 20cm."

Karan Vinod
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Brighton at Old Trafford (kick-off 17:30 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On team news: "The squad is fine, we have some doubts and we had some issues during the week with Harry Maguire and Mason Mount but nothing serious. Lisandro Martinez is out, the rest are ready for the game."

• Amorim believes a "difficult game" is in store for United and he labelled Brighton as "fun to watch, very good in transitions" and a "complete" team. He also said that the Brighton players "believe a lot in what they're doing even under pressure" and he is a "huge fan" of Fabian Hurzeler.

• On building momentum: "We use the spirit of winning games, we know that it was a good weekend for us, but our focus is on the next game. That is in the past and we need to understand that football changes a lot."

• Amorim praised Bruno Fernandes and said the perception he had of him before arriving was different, but called him a "great footballer". Amorim explained that the Portuguese midfielder's "frustration" is because "he wants to help a lot" and while it is not always expressed "in the best way, it comes from a good place".

• On his team adapting to different situations: "We play different games. We have an identity, but we adapt to whatever game we need to play in the moment. You can sense that the first half against Sunderland is not the same as the second half. We know how to manage that. Against Liverpool, we scored right away and then we managed the game, playing in a different style because it was needed, and that is a good thing."

• On Harry Maguire's contract situation: "It is not the time to talk about that (a new contract). That gives the idea that we are thinking so far away. We are really happy with Harry; he is really important for us, but we need to focus on the next game. It was good for him to play with three centre-backs, so sometimes you help players with the way you play. I am really pleased. He is not young, but he can learn a lot. He needs to be better with the ball. He is a massive player for us and he needs to continue."

• On narratives being changed by fine margins: "I don't want to change so much with the difference of 20cm. If [Cody] Gakpo's shot was 20cm different, then the narrative would be different. If you are a manager, you don't win a lot of games. People are going to doubt you. They have reasons for that. My point of view is that we need to be clear on our path and not change so much because we win one game."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Listen to live commentary of Manchester United v Brighton on BBC Radio 5 Live from 17:30 BST on Saturday

This week, Wayne Rooney has some familiar faces alongside him on his podcast.

The former Manchester United striker speaks to the likes of ex-Everton midfielder Darron Gibson and Toffees boxing hero Tony Bellew also makes an appearance.

There's discussion about growing up, jumping naked in the sea, agents and boxing challenges with Joe Calzaghe.

Watch The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds

Manchester United are open to signing two new midfielders in 2026, with Chelsea's 21-year-old Brazil international Andrey Santos among a six-man shortlist that also includes Brighton's 21-year-old Cameroon international Carlos Baleba. (Talksport), external

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford wants to stay at Barcelona beyond his season-long loan. The La Liga club have an option to sign the 27-year-old on a permanent deal at the end of the campaign. (ESPN), external

Joshua Zirkzee will ask to leave Manchester United in the January transfer window, with West Ham currently leading the race to sign the 24-year-old forward. (Mirror), external

Zirkzee would prefer to stay in the Premier League as he looks to earn a place in the Netherlands' World Cup squad. (Star), external

Want more transfer news? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Fifteen-year-old Manchester United rising star JJ Gabriel took part in first team training earlier today.

Gabriel has been a regular member of Darren Fletcher's Under-18 squad this season, even though he was only 14 when the campaign started.

He scored seven goals in his opening six matches and such has been the ease with which he has adapted to the higher level and the promise he has shown, head coach Ruben Amorim told the youngster he would bring him into sessions with the senior squad on occasion this season.

This happened for the first time today, with the player himself posting an image on his own social media feed. It is understood Gabriel took part in a full 11 v 11 practice game.

United director of football Jason Wilcox played an active role in persuading Gabriel to remain at the club this season.

Gabriel was invited to sit in the directors' box with his family for the opening Premier League game of the season against Arsenal in August as a further sign of his progression.

Image source, Getty Images

Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher is a target for Manchester United, who view the 25-year-old as a potential replacement for fellow England international Kobbie Mainoo. (Football Insider), external

United are still interested in Germany defensive midfielder Angelo Stiller, but Stuttgart's asking price for the 24-year-old is expected to be more than 50m euros (£43.5m). (Sky Sports Germany), external

France striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, 28, is thought to want to leave Crystal Palace, with Manchester United, Newcastle and Tottenham possible destinations. (Caught Offside), external

West Ham are keen on Joshua Zirkzee and could try to sign the forward on loan from Manchester United in January. (i Paper), external

Harry Maguire could leave Old Trafford for free when his contract comes to an end next summer, with the centre-back yet to be offered a new deal. (Mail - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter at Oakwell

Image source, Getty Images

Seven days after making his senior international debut for Paraguay, young defender Diego Leon made only his second competitive appearance in Manchester United colours in the 5-2 EFL Trophy group stage defeat at Barnsley.

The 18-year-old moved to United from South America in July but has largely been starved of matches as he has been part of Ruben Amorim's first team squad without making his debut.

After a 45-minute Premier League 2 outing at Liverpool last month, Leon lasted just over an hour at Oakwell, putting in an encouraging display in front of director of football Jason Wilcox.

Playing at left-back in an orthodox four-man defence, Leon surged forward midway through the first-half, trying his luck with a powerful shot from the edge of the area, which was blocked.

More importantly Leon showed excellent recovery skills and positional play to intervene on the edge of his own box as Barnsley countered quickly. He also recovered lost ground and won the ball back after being beaten by a smart turn from inside the Barnsley half Neil Farrugia.

Leon's match fitness levels look to have improved since the Liverpool game, which bodes well for the coming weeks given United have three midweek games from the beginning of December to the first week of January.

His display was one of the bright spots on a night that had started well for United when Jack Fletcher opened the scoring after seven minutes and also featured a goal for Chido Obi.

However, Fletcher was later sent off as veteran forward David McGoldrick scored a hat-trick in what turned out to be an easy win for the hosts, leaving Travis Binnion's side on the brink of elimination.