Despite the uncertainty regarding Cristiano Ronaldo's status, Manchester United attempts to get its 2022-23 English Premier League season off to a good start when it hosts Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday in the opener for both clubs. The Red Devils were runners-up in 2020-21 but disappointed last campaign, finishing in sixth place with a 16-10-12 record as they posted their lowest win total since also earning 16 in 1990-91. They could be without their top scorer in their first match of the season as Ronaldo is not in good standing with new manager Erik ten Hag after leaving the pitch before Sunday's friendly against Rayo Vallecano had concluded. Meanwhile, Brighton ended last season with a five-game unbeaten streak, recording three wins and a pair of draws en route to a ninth-place finish -- its best since being promoted from the English League Championship following the 2016-17 season.
Kickoff at Old Trafford is set for 9 a.m. ET. The Red Devils are -160 favorites (risk $160 to win $100) on the 90-minute money line in the latest Manchester United vs. Brighton odds while the Seagulls are +450 underdogs. A regulation draw is priced at +290 and the over-under for total goals scored is 2.5. Before locking in any Brighton vs. Manchester United picks, you need to see the 2022-23 English Premier League predictions from proven soccer insider Brandt Sutton.
Sutton, a former collegiate soccer player, has been SportsLine's top soccer editor for nearly five years. He has followed soccer closely for much longer and factors in managerial tactics, projected lineups and past performances to make the most-informed decisions possible, keeping his finger on the pulse of the game all over the globe.
Sutton also has been on a roll with his best bets, going 114-85 in his last 199 soccer picks and returning more than $3,000 for $100 bettors.
Now, Sutton has broken down the Man United vs. Brighton matchup from every angle and just locked in his picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see Sutton's picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Brighton vs. Man United:
- Manchester United vs. Brighton money line: Red Devils -160, Seagulls +450, Draw +290
- Manchester United vs. Brighton over-under: 2.5 goals
- Manchester United vs. Brighton spread: Red Devils -0.5 (-160)
- MANU: The Red Devils finished even in goal differential last season, scoring and allowing 57
- BRI: The Seagulls yielded only two tallies over their final four matches in 2021-22
- Manchester United vs. Brighton picks: See picks here.
Why you should back Manchester United
Ronaldo finished third in the Premier League with 18 goals last season, so his offense will be missed if he's not on the pitch. But the Red Devils still will have several other scoring options at their disposal. One such player is Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes, who was second on the team in 2021-22 in both tallies and assists with 10 and six, respectively.
The 27-year-old Fernandes played in five of Manchester United's six friendly matches last month and did not score, but the Red Devils amassed 14 goals in those contests. French forward Anthony Martial and winger Jadon Sancho led the charge for the club with three tallies apiece while forward Marcus Rashford netted a pair. The 24-year-old Rashford and Brazilian midfielder Fred were tied for fourth on the team last season with four goals each.
Why you should back Brighton
The Seagulls are hoping for another strong start to a season as they won four of their first five matches in 2021-22. They also won three of their final four contests, with one of those triumphs being their largest-ever against Manchester United -- a 4-0 victory at home on May 7. Belgian winger Leandro Trossard scored his eighth goal of the campaign in that win to pull even with French forward Neal Maupay for the team lead.
The 27-year-old Trossard, who also notched three assists last season, enters 2022-23 on a tear as he recorded a hat trick in the second half of Brighton's 5-1 triumph over Espanyol in a friendly on July 30. Maupay has netted at least eight tallies in each of his three campaigns with the Seagulls and scored twice in a friendly against Estoril Praia on July 16 -- a 4-1 victory for Brighton. Forward Danny Welbeck has registered back-to-back six-goal seasons with the Seagulls, his best output since posting a career high-tying nine tallies for Manchester United in 2013-14.
How to make Manchester United vs. Brighton picks
Sutton has analyzed Sunday's Brighton vs. Manchester United match from every angle. He has provided two confident best bets along with a full breakdown of the contest. He's only sharing his Premier League picks here.
So who wins Manchester United vs. Brighton on Sunday in the 2022-23 English Premier League season opener for both clubs? And where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for the Brighton vs. Manchester United match, all from the soccer expert who is red-hot on his soccer picks, and find out.
