Michael Carrick’s Manchester United return to Old Trafford on Wednesday 16 September 2026, with kick-off against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Carabao Cup third round set for 20:00 BST. The tie offers United an immediate chance to respond after a difficult start to the week, and it pits Carrick against a Brighton side that arrives full of attacking confidence.
Manchester United vs Brighton: Kick-Off Time & Match Overview
United host Brighton at Old Trafford with the 20:00 BST kick-off giving supporters a full midweek evening fixture. The Carabao Cup format means a single leg decides who progresses, adding extra sharpness to a tie sandwiched between Premier League commitments. Old Trafford’s midweek atmosphere should be heightened by the visitors’ recent goal-scoring form, and Carrick will be keen to see a reaction from his squad in front of the home crowd. As with all domestic cup fixtures, supporters travelling to Old Trafford should allow extra time for the evening kick-off and check the club’s official channels for any last-minute changes to arrangements around the ground.
International Broadcast Table & Region Guide
Carabao Cup broadcast rights are distributed on a competition-wide basis and can differ from Manchester United’s Premier League coverage, so specific channel or streaming app names for this tie had not been confirmed at the time of writing. The table below converts the 20:00 BST kick-off into local time across several key regions; supporters should confirm the exact broadcaster for their territory through the official competition or Manchester United channels closer to kick-off, as details are subject to formal distribution announcements.
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Region Local Kick-Off Time Broadcast Confirmation
United Kingdom & Ireland 20:00 BST / IST Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League
United States (Eastern) 15:00 ET fuboTV, USA Network, Telemundo, Deportes En Vivo, UNIVERSO, UNIVERSO NOW, SiriusXM FC
United States (Pacific) 12:00 PT fuboTV, USA Network, Telemundo, Deportes En Vivo, UNIVERSO, UNIVERSO NOW, SiriusXM FC
Canada 15:00 ET DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada, SPORTSNET
Australia 05:00 AEST (17 September) Stan Sport, Sky Deutschland
Nigeria 20:00 WAT DStv NowCanal+ Sport 2 AfriqueSuperSport Football Plus NigeriaSuperSport MaXimo 1
South Africa 21:00 SAST DStv App, SuperSport Premier League, SuperSport MaXimo 1
Key Match Context & Recent Form Summary
United arrive at this tie off the back of a 0-1 defeat to Manchester City on 13 September 2026, a result that has intensified scrutiny on Carrick’s early weeks in charge. That loss followed a period the club has already analysed in depth; supporters can revisit the detail in Manchester United Under Michael Carrick: Four Points From Four Games, alongside a closer look at the underlying numbers in Analyzing the numbers behind 13th-place start.
Brighton, by contrast, head to Old Trafford in ruthless form, having thrashed Coventry City 5-0 in their last outing on 13 September 2026. History offers some encouragement for the home supporters: United’s most recent meeting with Brighton ended in a comfortable 3-0 win on 24 May 2026, a result that showed the damage Carrick’s side can do when their attacking play clicks. Reproducing that level of performance, rather than the flatness of the City defeat, will be the priority as United look to keep their Carabao Cup campaign alive under the Old Trafford floodlights.
Manchester United vs Brighton: Carabao Cup Preview & Carrick Plans
Manchester United vs Brighton: Carabao Cup Preview & Carrick Plans
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