Manchester United welcome Brighton and Hove Albion to Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon as they look to build on a positive start to 2025.

After a draw at Liverpool and FA Cup progress against Arsenal, United came from behind to beat Southampton 3-1 on Thursday evening.

A 12-minute hat-trick from Amad Diallo fired United to victory and while he has earned rave reviews for his performance, United have been warned they cannot rely on such heroics if they want to get back into European contention.

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With that in mind, here's a look at how four prominent pundits feel United will fare against the Seagulls.

Chris Sutton

The former Blackburn and Celtic forward told BBC Sport: "My son is the assistant manager of my Fantasy team - I am Brian Clough, and he is Peter Taylor - and he told me to get Amad Diallo in this week.

"Guess what? I over-ruled him, and obviously Diallo went on to score a hat-trick for Manchester United against Southampton.

"It really was a case of United finding a way to win so late on in that game, because their performance for most of it had not been great, especially in the first half.

"Being able to do that is important, so fair play to Diallo and manager Ruben Amorim, but it does not mean United have cracked it, or turned a corner.

"I must say this every week about them, but they remain a work in progress and there are going to be lot more bumps in the road for Amorim.

"This might be one of them, because Brighton are much tougher opposition than Saints were.

"The Seagulls got back to winning ways in the league against Ipswich on Thursday. I fancy them here more than I do United, but I am going to go with a draw.

"As I mentioned earlier, United have got a habit of getting something out of games, and this time they will find a way of getting a draw."

Sutton's prediction: Manchester United 1-1 Brighton

Harry Redknapp

The former Tottenham Hotspur manager told BetVictor: "This could be a thriller. Manchester United were awful against Southampton for the first 70 minutes, but what a finish to the game and what a big three points. They’ll need to improve here though.

"Brighton cruised to the win over Ipswich and looked back to their best. They’ve been a bit up and down this season, but I still look at this side and think they should be threatening the top six, there’s so much quality here.

"I can see the Seagulls getting a lot of joy on the break with the pace and quality they’ve got in wide areas. I’m going for a high-scoring draw."

One to watch - How can it not be Amad Diallo; he is on fire! This lad never stops running and never stops trying to make things happen, he’s United’s best player by a mile at the minute.

Redknapp's prediction: Manchester United 2-2 Brighton

Paul Merson

The Sky Sports pundit told SportsKeeda: "It's a hard game to guess because both Manchester United and Brighton are playing tonight (Thursday). I expect Manchester United to beat Southampton, but I wouldn't be shocked if they didn't win either because we're talking about Manchester United after all!

"I actually think Brighton will win this game at Old Trafford. It's a big pitch there and I expect Brighton to go through them with ease. This is a game that really suits Brighton and that's why I think United are in trouble here.

"No one expected Ruben Amorim to win against Liverpool and Arsenal, so they had that freedom to play like they wanted. But this is a different game and even if Brighton are above them in the table, it's a game they should win. I think that could be a problem for Manchester United. It wouldn't shock me if they slip up at home again this weekend."

Merson's prediction: Manchester United 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion

Mark Lawrenson

The former BBC Sport pundit told Paddy Power: "Both of these played on Thursday night so there’s no real advantage there.

"Brighton just draw so many games but they could lose this, there’s a bit of feeling growing around Old Trafford again at the moment."

Lawrenson's prediction: Manchester United 2-1 Brighton