Manchester United host Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford on Wednesday, 16 September 2026. Kick-off in the Carabao Cup tie is 20:00 BST. Michael Carrick has named his starting XI. Karl Darlow takes the gloves. Ayden Heaven and Shea Lacey both come into the side. Benjamin Sesko leads the attack as the central striker. Bruno Fernandes is named among the substitutes.
Brighton name Jason Steele in goal. Pascal Groß wears the captain’s armband. He lines up alongside Matt O’Riley in midfield. Supporters [previewing the cup clash against Brighton](https://readmanutd.com/2026/09/16/manchester-united-news-talking-points-jj-gabriel-sesko-brighton/) will recognise several of these names from recent squad discussions. Full breakdowns of both teams, along with the tactical thinking behind each selection, follow below.
United’s confirmed starting XI reads: Karl Darlow, Diogo Dalot, Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven, Noussair Mazraoui, Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans, Shea Lacey, Mason Mount, Marcus Rashford, Benjamin Sesko.
The substitutes bench is made up of Senne Lammens, Harry Maguire, Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha, Joshua Zirkzee, Bryan Mbeumo, Kobbie Mainoo, Tyler Fletcher and Harry Amass.
Carrick’s selection points to a clear rotation policy for this competition. Darlow gets a rare start in goal. Heaven partners Leny Yoro at centre-back. That gives the young pairing valuable minutes together against senior opposition. Mazraoui and Dalot complete the back four. Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans sit in a double pivot. That is different from the midfield trio United usually use in the league.
Shea Lacey’s inclusion is the standout change further forward. He joins Mason Mount and Marcus Rashford in support of Sesko. Sesko continues to lead the line as United’s first-choice striker in cup competition. Bruno Fernandes drops to the bench alongside Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Joshua Zirkzee. Carrick still has strong attacking options if the game needs changing late on. That depth reflects the ongoing [discussion surrounding Benjamin Sesko’s starts](https://readmanutd.com/2026/09/16/gary-lineker-benjamin-sesko-man-utd-starts/) this season. Fans are debating whether he can hold the central striker role all season.
The shape looks like a variation on United’s usual back four. Santos and Tielemans offer control in midfield. Lacey and Mount have licence to interchange around Rashford and Sesko. The side is experienced enough to compete for a place in the next round. It is also fresh enough to protect key players for Saturday’s league fixture. Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire wait among the substitutes. They give Carrick further options to change the tempo or shore up the defence if Brighton push men forward.
Brighton’s confirmed starting XI is: Jason Steele, Luka Vuskovic, Pascal Struijk, Olivier Boscagli, Costinha, Chema Andrés, Pascal Groß, Jaouen Hadjam, Matt O’Riley, Malick Yalcouyé, Charalampos Kostoulas.
Their substitutes bench consists of Bart Verbruggen, Lewis Dunk, Georginio Rutter, Promise David, Ibrahim Osman, Ferdi Kadıoğlu, Diego Gómez, Yasin Ayari and Maxim De Cuyper.
Jason Steele starts in goal in place of the usual number one. A back line of Struijk, Boscagli, Vuskovic and Hadjam offers a mix of experience and pace against United’s forwards. Costinha and Chema Andrés sit in the deeper midfield positions. That gives Brighton a solid platform to build attacks from the back. It is typical of how they have played this season.
Pascal Groß wears the captain’s armband and plays in his familiar central role. He sets the tempo and looks to link midfield with attack. Matt O’Riley plays alongside him. O’Riley brings energy and late runs into the box. That combination should give United’s midfield plenty to think about. Malick Yalcouyé and Charalampos Kostoulas lead the line. Their pace and directness look like Brighton’s main outlet on the counter-attack. United’s back line is still finding its feet together, which could work in Brighton’s favour.
The bench gives Brighton clear routes to freshen things up. Georginio Rutter and Promise David offer attacking options if the game stretches. Ibrahim Osman and Diego Gómez add width and creativity from wide areas. Lewis Dunk’s presence among the substitutes suggests defensive cover is ready if United’s attack causes problems. Overall, this is a side capable of competing for a place in the next round. Brighton can still manage minutes across the squad during a busy September schedule.