‘Major Changes’ Manchester United Confirmed XI vs Brighton as Santos and Lacey Start

Manchester United have confirmed their starting XI for tonight’s Carabao Cup clash against Brighton & Hove Albion, with Michael Carrick making several changes after Sunday’s disappointing Manchester derby defeat.

The Red Devils welcome Brighton to Old Trafford in the third round of the League Cup, with Carrick using the competition to give opportunities to several players who have not had as many minutes in the Premier League.

There are some big selection decisions in the team, with Karl Darlow making his Manchester United debut and Andrey Santos making his first competitive start for the club. Youngster Shea Lacey also gets another chance to impress, while Benjamin Sesko returns to the starting line-up.

At the same time, some of United’s regular starters have been given a rest, including captain Bruno Fernandes, while Patrick Dorgu has been left completely out of the squad.

United need a positive response after losing 1-0 to Manchester City at Old Trafford on Sunday, and Carrick has clearly decided that this cup game is the right opportunity to rotate his squad while still naming a team with plenty of first-team quality.

Karl Darlow handed Manchester United debut

The biggest change comes in goal, where Karl Darlow gets his first appearance for Manchester United.

Senne Lammens, who has been starting in goal, drops to the bench, giving Darlow an important chance to show what he can offer. The experienced goalkeeper will be hoping to make a strong first impression in his first competitive appearance for the club.

In front of him, Diogo Dalot keeps his place, while Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven and Noussair Mazraoui complete a changed defensive line.

Harry Maguire is among the substitutes, while Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt are both unavailable. Luke Shaw is also missing from the squad again, meaning there is still no return for the experienced left-back.

The continued absence of Shaw will be something United supporters will keep an eye on, particularly with the club having several defensive options unavailable.

In midfield, Youri Tielemans keeps his place and is joined by Andrey Santos. The Brazilian midfielder now has an excellent opportunity to make his mark after being handed his first competitive start for United.

Santos has been waiting for this chance and will be expected to bring energy and quality in the middle of the pitch. With Bruno Fernandes rested, there is also more responsibility on the other midfielders to control the game and create chances.

Shea Lacey starts as Bruno Fernandes gets a rest

There is another exciting selection decision further forward, with Shea Lacey named in the starting XI.

The young attacker starts on the right side, while Mason Mount takes up the No.10 position. Marcus Rashford starts on the left, with Benjamin Sesko leading the attack.

It gives Sesko another opportunity to build his rhythm and show his qualities in front of goal, while Rashford remains involved despite the heavy rotation around him.

Mount will also be hoping to make the most of his chance after being given a starting role in the absence of Fernandes.

The United captain is among the substitutes alongside Kobbie Mainoo, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo. Joshua Zirkzee is also on the bench, meaning Carrick has plenty of attacking options available if the game requires a change later on.

Interestingly, Zirkzee has not been given a starting opportunity despite the number of changes made by Carrick. That could make this a frustrating evening for the Dutch forward, although he remains an option from the bench.

United are also still without Amad Diallo and Manuel Ugarte because of injury. Carlos Baleba, meanwhile, has returned to training but is not yet ready to make his United debut.

The confirmed team shows that Carrick has gone for a strong but heavily rotated side, giving several players a chance while keeping enough senior players on the pitch to deal with Brighton.

The changes suggest Carrick has used the League Cup to test his squad depth. It is also a chance for players such as Darlow, Santos and Lacey to put themselves into the manager’s thoughts for future Premier League matches.

United will now hope the fresh faces can help produce a much better performance than the one seen against Manchester City. Brighton will provide another test, but Carrick has still selected a team with plenty of experience and attacking quality.

For Darlow and Santos in particular, this is a big opportunity. Both players can make a strong statement with their performances, while Lacey has another chance to show why United continue to trust him at senior level.

With Fernandes, Mainoo, Cunha, Mbeumo and Maguire waiting on the bench, Carrick also has plenty of options to change the game if needed.

The pressure will now be on the starting XI to make the most of their opportunity and help Manchester United move into the next round of the Carabao Cup.