Manchester United return to Old Trafford on 15 September with a League Cup place in the last 16 at stake, facing Brighton after a difficult derby weekend and with both clubs entering the competition at the third-round stage.
Manchester United v Brighton: League Cup third round
The tie is scheduled to kick off at 16:00 Brasília time in Manchester. Both sides received byes through the second round because United qualified for the Champions League and Brighton secured a Conference League place. The draw for the next round will follow the completion of the ties.
For Michael Carrick’s United, the occasion carries a chance to repair damage from last season’s cup campaign. The club were knocked out of the League Cup in their first match by Grimsby Town in round two, then suffered another immediate exit in the FA Cup. It was United’s earliest departure from both domestic cups since 1981/82, 44 years earlier.
United are pursuing a seventh League Cup title, having most recently won the competition in 2023. They arrive after Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to Manchester City and changes are expected in the home side’s selection.
Karl Darlow could take over in goal following a poor display from Lammens. Andrey Santos is also in line to start, while the centre-forward role remains unsettled between Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha.
Brighton chasing a first League Cup
Brighton travel north seeking a first trophy in the competition. Their best League Cup run came in 1978/79, when Nottingham Forest eliminated them in the quarter-finals before going on to lift the cup.
Fabian Hürzeler has several absentees, including attacking midfielder Georginio Rutter and forwards Kaoru Mitoma and Stefanos Tzimas. Brighton are nevertheless expected to keep much of the side that swept Coventry City aside 5-0 in their latest Premier League outing.
Likely line-ups
Manchester United: Darlow; Mazraoui, Yoro, Heaven, Shaw; Andrey Santos, Tielemans; Mbeumo, Bruno Fernandes, Dorgu; Sesko. Manager: Michael Carrick.
Brighton: Verbruggen; Kadioglu, Dunk, Vuskovic, Boscagli; Gross, Ayari; Gomez, Yalcouye, De Cuyper; Kostoulas. Manager: Fabian Hürzeler.
Match details
| Fixture | Details |
|---|---|
| Competition | English League Cup 2026/27, third round |
| Date | 15 September 2026 |
| Kick-off | 16:00 Brasília time |
| Venue | Old Trafford, Manchester, England |
| Broadcast | Disney+ streaming |
SEO title: Manchester United v Brighton: League Cup tie at Old Trafford
SEO description: Manchester United host Brighton in the 2026/27 League Cup third round, with Carrick’s side aiming to recover from last season’s early cup exits.
