Brighton & Hove Albion will be expecting to face a completely different Manchester United on Sunday to the team they battered 4-0 back in May.
In their penultimate Premier League game of last season, Ralf Rangnick’s Reds showed no fight and simply rolled over against the Seagulls.
Graham Potter’s side had a field day at the Amex Stadium and punished a beleaguered and troubled Red Devils team.
But with Erik ten Hag at the helm, Manchester United fans and players will be hoping to exercise the demons of three months prior with an eye-catching performance on Sunday.
Brighton travel to Old Trafford for the Premier League opener but with Yves Bissouma now a Tottenham player and Marc Cucurella seemingly Chelsea-bound, Potter will be forced into at least two changes to the side that embarrassed the Reds.
HITC Sport take a look at Brighton’s potential XI vs Manchester United.
Brighton’s XI vs Manchester United
With Spain boss Luis Enrique likely to be keeping an eye on how the two Spanish stoppers fare at the Theatre of Dreams, Robert Sanchez will be hoping to oust David de Gea.
Sanchez, who was one cap for Spain to his name, registered 11 clean sheets in the Premier League last season, which was three more than De Gea.
With places seemingly up for grabs in La Roja’s World Cup squad, Sanchez will be hoping to have an inspired afternoon and spoil Ten Hag’s big day.
Potter will likely retain Lewis Dunk, Adam Webster and Joel Veltman as his three-man backline. Veltman played under Ten Hag during their time together at Ajax, but the Netherlands international will be aiming to give his former boss a rude awakening to life in the Premier League.
After scoring a hat-trick in Brighton’s last pre-season friendly against Espanyol while playing at left wing-back, Potter could keep the influential Leandro Trossard in that position to face the Reds.
The former Genk man scored a goal and provided two assists in Brighton’s demolition of the twenty-time league champions.
The Belgium international scored eight goals and provided three assists in the top-flight last season, he was the Seagulls’ joint top-scorer alongside Neal Maupay.
On the other side, it seems to be a straight shootout between Solly March and Tariq Lamptey for the right wing-back berth.
March started the 4-0 win against United in May and that may give him the nod over the former Chelsea youngster, but Lamptey’s blistering pace and attacking appetite could see him earn a recall.
While Yves Bissouma has joined Tottenham Hotspur, Potter has two very talented midfielders in Enock Mwepu and Moises Caicedo to step up and fill the void the former Lille man leaves at the Amex.
Brighton dominated the midfield battle in May and coming out on top in the engine room will have a big bearing on Sunday’s result.
With former Red Devil Danny Welbeck potentially leading the line, the 31-year-old could be supported by Alexis Mac Allister and Pascal Groß.
Groß was also on the scoresheet when the two sides last met and the 31-year-old German will be hoping to improve on his four goals against Manchester United, which is more than any other side he has faced during his career.
Potter and his Brighton players will be expecting a response from Ten Hag’s United but despite losing Bissouma and seemingly Cucurella, the former Swansea manager will fancy his side’s chances of upsetting the apple cart once again.
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