Manchester United

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

No supporter should get too elated or distressed about a single result, even on the opening day of the season.

After all, Aston Villa were beaten 5-1 at Newcastle United in their first game 12 months ago and still exceeded expectations by qualifying for the Champions League.

However, two results can shape a narrative, which is why this Premier League encounter at the Amex is significant for Brighton and Manchester United.

For Brighton, it would provide more confidence that the risk they have taken in appointing 31-year-old Fabian Hurzeler, as Roberto De Zerbi's successor, is justified.

For Manchester United, it would be a further hint that they are moving in the right direction under Erik ten Hag.

Brighton have won four of their last five league games against Manchester United, but they are the ones who would find it easier to dismiss a negative result.

Discounting the Community Shield, Erik ten Hag's side are looking for their fifth successive victory across two seasons. They have only managed that once since January 2023.

Amazingly, United have only won their first two league games three times since the 2011-12 Premier League campaign.

What a boost it would give Erik ten Hag and his players to secure maximum points.

There are seven games on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you all the action and reaction.

Follow live here

*All times are BST

This season, English top-flight clubs are trialling a new financial system that limits spending based on the earnings of the bottom side, designed to "protect the competitive balance of the Premier League".

Football finance expert Rob Wilson tells The Football News Show why, if permanently introduced, it could make the top Premier League sides less competitive against their European counterparts.

Watch The Football News Show on BBC iPlayer

Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, against a variety of guests.

For week two, he takes on Make Me A Mixtape hosts Clara Amfo and Jordan Stephens.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Getting off to a winning start in the Premier League was important for Erik ten Hag, albeit Manchester United didn't hit the heights they are maybe capable of.

Lisandro Martinez is going to be the key for them this season. I know everybody talks about attacking players, but they missed him for large parts of last season and he gives them a bit of steel at the back.

I predicted Brighton to lose at Everton and they won easily in the end. They like a left-field appointment and Fabian Hurzeler has made a really good start.

It's always important to get that first win under your belt as a new manager to get that belief that your message is getting across.

Amfo's prediction: 1-3

Stephens' prediction: 2-2

Are you just guessing these? If so, that's quite a good one. I've gone for a draw because I don't know what to make of Brighton yet, but you could get me on this one.

Read the full predictions and have your say

Manchester United and Tottenham are monitoring Barcelona and Denmark defender Andreas Christensen, 28. (Sport - in Spanish, external)

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

Robin Grey
BBC Radio Manchester reporter

Image source, PA Media

"Be patient" was Erik ten Hag's message on new signings at Old Trafford.

Manuel Ugarte continues to be linked with the club. Ten Hag's body language and laid-back attitude suggested he feels it is as close as reports suggest. But the Manchester United boss put the handbrake on later in his news conference, saying he could not promise there would be another new signing.

I asked him about Facundo Pellistri's departure too, after he was given more minutes last season, but Ten Hag pointed to the fact he now has lots more options out wide.

Whether Jadon Sancho's return leads to him actually featuring remains to be seen, as does Antony's contribution, given he is yet to make an impact at the club two years on from signing.

The sheer fact that Alejandro Garnacho did not start against Fulham shows the United boss is filled with options out wide. But Sancho's inclusion at Brighton remains in doubt. He is clearly concerned about keeping a larger squad happy this season, with more players, but highlighted the importance of having a squad that can cope with injuries - something he clearly feels he did not have last year.

But Sancho himself will not want to be coming into Carrington knowing he will not be making the matchday squad, so how that plays out will be intriguing.

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Brighton (kick-off 12:30 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Ten Hag confirmed Luke Shaw, Rasmus Hojlund, Tyrell Malacia and Victor Lindelof are all unavailable to face Brighton, adding: "[Lindelof] has an issue on his toe, hopefully he can return quickly."

• On if there are any updates on signing Manuel Ugarte: "We have a couple of days and we will always improve, as long as we have the opportunity we will look for it."

• Ten Hag said he is "very pleased" with the club's transfer business so far and added: "They’re showing we're going in the right direction. We know as a club we have to catch up but it shows our ambition, the way we want to go. We have done good business, very good players, quality players who will contribute to our squad and the quality of our squad."

• On Jadon Sancho's future: "We will see [if he is involved against Brighton]. We have a squad and I hope we will have a squad with double positioning... you need them all throughout the season because it is survival of the fittest."

• He added: "We have to manage it, the attitude of the players is very important, sometimes they will be disappointed they are not in the starting XI but they have to deal with it, you win as a squad. The prizes are decided next May and until then we need all the players in the squad highly motivated, that is not an expectation, that is a demand on the squad. The team is always more important than any individual."

• On Joshua Zirkzee scoring his first goal for United in the win over Fulham: "Very pleasing that a player who is a striker scores his first goal in his first game. That will give him confidence, we're very pleased that it’s happened... it helps absolutely scoring his first goal, it gives him confidence and gives us confidence as a team."

• Ten Hag said Facundo Pellistri, who has signed for Panathinaikos, is "very talented" but they "have a lot of competition in wide areas" and added: "We look at what we need as a squad but every player needs a perspective and in this moment we had many players to compete in these positions. We couldn’t give him the right perspective in this club, but he has high potential and he needs games to improve and to progress."

• On if they need to sell to bring players in, he said: "I didn't say I'm looking for transfers coming in, also I don't say that players are going out. I said patience. You guys have to wait, when we have news we will bring it."

We asked you which thing at Manchester United hasn't been spoken about enough this week.

Here are some of your comments:

Swanny: Why is no mainstream media asking questions of who and why was Luke Shaw allowed to join up with and play for England in the Euros? He hadn't played since February for us, was clearly not fit, then rushed back to play by Southgate and now won't play until September at best. Is this pro-English bias at work?

Joe: No seems to be talking about is what happens if/when everyone is fit. The discussion is still about all the injuries, but when everyone is fit we will now have six defenders who will expect to start. Do we switch to a back three to accommodate both De Ligt and Yoro? Do we demote Dalot, last year's players' player of the season?

Phil: The lack of real killer instinct worries me. Being able to grind out 1-0 wins or come from behind to win are good traits, but this United team just don't seem capable of putting three, four or five goals past teams regularly. Do that a few times early on this season and other teams might actually start to fear playing against United again.

Mike: Nobody is talking about how the "new and improved" football structure managed to decide it was a great idea to extend Ten Hag's contract by a year. He was under contract until the end of the season, not leaving. Makes no sense to extend his contract after a very poor season - by all means extend mid-season if performs and nobody better - why now?

Phil: They never talk about the work in the community the club and the players do. Not just United, but all clubs. I think it's really important to remember the connection between clubs and their community. The Manchester United Foundation does tremendous unheralded work.

Manchester United have been offered the chance to sign England defender Ben Chilwell by Chelsea after the 27-year-old was told he does not feature in boss Enzo Maresca's plans. (Talksport), external

Napoli director Giovanni Manna has returned to England to continue transfer talks for United midfielder Scott McTominay. (Gianluca di Marzio - in Italian), external

Meanwhile, Manchester United are closing in on a deal to sign midfielder Manuel Ugarte, 23, from Paris St-Germain. (Sky Germany), external

However, PSG are not prepared to lower their £51m valuation of the Uruguay international. (Mirror), external

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

There is always so much noise at the start of the season and 2024-25 has been no different.

But when it comes to Manchester United, what is the one thing nobody is talking about - good or bad?

Tell us here, external

The Devils' Advocate podcast from BBC Radio Manchester looks back at Manchester United's win over Fulham in their opening game of the Premier League season, and whether United should try to sign Brentford striker Ivan Toney before the transfer deadline next week.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United winger Facundo Pellistri has joined Greek club Panathinaikos.

Pellistri played for Uruguay at the Copa America this summer and featured for United in their Community Shield defeat to Manchester City earlier this month.

Sources say Manchester United will receive a £5.1m fee for the 22-year-old, with up to £1.7m in possible additional payments.

Manchester United also have a buy-back option for three years and they will receive 45% of any sell-on fee for the player.

Image source, Getty Images

Tom Heaton played 90 minutes for Manchester United's under-21 side on Tuesday in their EFL trophy game against Barnsley, which marked quite the change in surroundings to Berlin five weeks earlier at the Euro 2024 final.

The 38-year-old worked as a training goalkeeper with England throughout the summer and wanted to fine-tune his skills after two pre-season friendly appearances.

"I requested to play - I requested to the manager if he'd let me play in it," Heaton said, having admitted "last season I went too long without playing".

"I want to put myself in the mix so that, as and when required, I'm bang up to speed and bang ready.

"I think it's important that I maintain nights like this through the season for if and when the opportunity comes."

Heaton was the biggest name at Oakwell but Jack Fletcher - the 17-year-old son of former midfielder Darren - took the headlines with an outrageous equaliser off the bench before firing United to victory.

"I played with Fletch for a long time," Heaton said. "I started with Fletch from sort of 14, 15, so I had a long relationship with him, long time playing with him.

"So, to play with his lad Jack tonight - both of his lads (Jack and Tyler), actually, at certain points - is a bit surreal. But I think he's got fantastic potential, a fantastic attitude. The two of them are real good lads."

Speaking about Jack, Heaton said: "It is a big night for him. To come on and deliver that, what he did, made a big impact on the game.

"He's certainly the stand-out performer from tonight, and hopefully that will give him a real good foundation to kick on from. But there's some real good performances in there beyond that as well.

"I think everything's looking rosy through the club at the minute."

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United have confirmed that Czech Republic Under-20 international goalkeeper Radek Vitek will spend the 2024-25 season on loan at Austrian Bundesliga side Blau-Weiss Linz.

Vitek, 20, signed for United in 2020 from hometown club Sigma Olomouc and was a key part of the club's FA Youth Cup-winning team in 2022.

He also impressed in United's first pre-season friendly of the summer against Rosenborg in Norway.

Chelsea may make a late approach to sign 24-year-old Manchester United and England forward Jadon Sancho. (Athletic - subscription required), external

Paris St-Germain have offered Manchester United the chance to sign 23-year-old Uruguay midfielder Manuel Ugarte on a season-long loan with an obligation to buy. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

Manchester United have agreed a deal worth about £5m for Uruguay winger Facundo Pellistri to join Greek club Panathinaikos. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

Burnley are interested in signing 21-year-old Manchester United and Tunisia midfielder Hannibal Mejbri. (Athletic - subscription required), external

Manchester United are set to sell Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay to Napoli in order to comply with Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. (Corriere dello Sport - in Italian), external

The Red Devils have not given up hope of signing 22-year-old England centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite from Everton, but accept it is unlikely to happen this transfer window. (Mail), external

Erik ten Hag has shelved plans to let Brazil midfielder Casemiro leave, after being impressed by the 32-year-old in pre-season and at the start of the new campaign. (Sun), external

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

Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Championship side Burnley are interested in signing Manchester United midfielder Hannibal Mejbri.

The Tunisia international is out of favour at Old Trafford and spent the second half of last season on loan at Sevilla.

The 21-year-old is familiar with the second tier, having had a spell at Birmingham during the 2022-23 campaign.

Hannibal's addition would bolster Burnley's midfield with Sander Berge closing in on a £25m move to Fulham and a medical taking place in London on Tuesday.

Alex Turk
Fan writer

Say it quietly but Manchester United are one much-needed midfield signing away from boasting some of the Premier League's best squad depth.

Erik ten Hag’s second year was plagued by over 60 separate cases of injury or illness that ravaged his squad on the way to a record-low eighth-place finish.

Ineos has worked tirelessly to get to the bottom of the crisis, overseeing sweeping changes at executive level, in the medical department and on the pitch.

Pre-season problems that sidelined Leny Yoro and Rasmus Hojlund spelt trouble for the campaign ahead. But United navigated Friday’s 1-0 victory over Fulham unscathed.

The curtain-raiser fell just days after Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui became Ten Hag’s third and fourth arrivals of the window.

Mazraoui started at Old Trafford and was one of the hosts' standout performers, offering optimism that the initial £13m paid for his signature could prove to be a coup.

He joins Diogo Dalot in having the ability to play on either side of the defence to cover for the absent Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia.

De Ligt joins Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire and Yoro as Ten Hag's strong core centre-back options.

Meanwhile, Hojlund and match-winner Joshua Zirkzee represent two exciting young strikers.

Amad Diallo's recent rise to prominence adds to United's flank firepower, with Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho and Antony also present.

Bruno Fernandes is deputised by Mason Mount in attacking midfield as Kobbie Mainoo and Casemiro round off Ten Hag's midfield trio.

A successful swoop for reported priority target Manuel Ugarte before the summer deadline would ensure United have quality cover in that department too, especially if Scott McTominay stays put.

That, in turn, would set up an improved maiden season under the Ineos banner and make a 2025 Champions League return non-negotiable.

Find more from Alex Turk at Stretford Paddock, external

Image source, Getty Images

The Athletic journalist Mark Critchley says Napoli "looks like the strongest option at the minute" for Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay if he is to leave Old Trafford.

McTominay, 27, has been linked with a move away for much of the summer, with Fulham making several bids for the Scotland international.

However, Fulham have turned their attention towards Burnley midfielder Sander Berge - who was himself linked with a move to United earlier in the transfer window.

"Fulham was the Premier League side that was most strongly linked with him and that has changed and changed again," Critchley told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"They've been in, they've been out, they've been back in again. Their interest was renewed over the past few days but it changed again just last night as they seem set to sign Sander Berge from Burnley.

"So you're looking around other Premier League clubs potentially. Everton has been a long standing interest there, but can they do with the finances? Newcastle are another club who've been linked in the past, but they look very settled in midfield at the moment."

If a Premier League move does not materialise, Critchley believes the Serie A giants are McTominay's most likely destination.

"So, you are looking potentially a move abroad and Napoli looks like the strongest option at the minute," he added.

"Their sporting director, Giovanni Manna, was in England just recently holding discussions over McTominay. They had their 3-0 defeat over the weekend by Verona in their opening game and they've got Antonio Conte there now as manager. He's been typically laid back and reasonable about transfers, as we all know he usually is.

"There's a lot of pressure there to get business done. I would imagine that Scott McTominay would prefer to stay in England. I think he's built his career here. He's quite a name here. He's coming off the back of probably his most impressive individual season.

"But, if the options are that he has to perhaps try something new, and a move somewhere where he could be a more regular first-team player and have more of an influence on things, then Napoli is looking like one of the more likely options at the moment."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds