All-PL clash on the cards for United in the FA Cup third round, Amorim will be quietly confident

Manchester United’s opponents in the FA Cup third round have been confirmed following Monday’s televised draw. The Red Devils will face Brighton and Hove Albion at Old Trafford on the weekend of 10/11 January 2026 in an all-Premier League clash. Both teams will be facing off in the FA Cup for the ninth time, with the most famous encounter coming back in the 1982/83 season. They met in the final, which initially finished 2-2, forcing a replay. United subsequently emerged 4-0 victors in the replay. United’s recent record vs Brighton The two sides have already met in the Premier League this season, with the 20-time English league champions emerging 4-2 winners at the Theatre of Dreams. A brace from Bryan Mbeumo, and goals from Matheus Cunha, and Casemiro proved to be enough to down Fabian Hürzeler’s team. However, this time out, both sides are likely to be without several key players due to the Africa Cup of Nations. United’s most recent FA Cup meeting with the Seagulls had also ended in victory back in 2023, with then-manager Erik ten Hag overseeing a penalty shootout win to reach the final. Manchester United will be gunning for top spot United then fell short at Wembley against noisy neighbours Manchester City, but then took their revenge a year later by downing them in the summit clash the following season. Last season under Ruben Amorim, the three-time Champions League winners had exited the competition in the fifth-round following a penalty shootout loss to Fulham. In the previous round, they had stunningly seen off Arsenal. United have won the famous competition 13 times, and will be gunning for top spot, with Arsenal the current record-holders with 14 triumphs. Feature image Alex Livesey via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Ayantan Chowdhury After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25