Another injury blow for Ralf Rangnick and Manchester United ahead of Brighton

Albion have been on a fine run of form and enjoyed recent victories against Arsenal, Tottenham and Wolves.

Manchester United were boosted last time with a Ronaldo inspired victory over Brentford but Ralf Rangnick continues to have injury concerns for the Saturday 5.30pm clash at the Amex Stadium.

Marcus Rashford and Eric Bailly will both miss the trip for but Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have returned to training.

Rashford is suffering with bronchitis while Bailly has a back problem.

They join Paul Pogba and Luke Shaw on the list of confirmed absentees, with Jadon Sancho also expected to miss out again with tonsillitis.

Rangnick, who took over in late November after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sacking, insisted United improved early in his tenure but said the loss of Mason Greenwood – who remains on bail over allegations he raped and assaulted a young woman – plus Anthony Martial’s exit and Ed Cavani’s injury woes, changed the dynamic.

“Obviously there were some problems that the team already had at the end of November and the first couple of months, at least until the end of January, we were improving,” Rangnick said, adding that his side had conceded fewer goals and increased their points-per-game ratio.

“Then in that international break we lost, including Edinson Cavani, three players long-term. We lost them, three strikers. Then we had problems to score goals and find our balance. This is what happened.”

Neither Rashford nor Cavani have scored since that win over West Ham, when Cavani set up the England striker’s late winner.

Greenwood scored six goals before his suspension, still more than Rashford (five) or Cavani (two) have managed this term. Rashford is due to miss Saturday’s match with bronchitis.

Brighton midfielder Enock Mwepu has been ruled out against Manchester United because of a groin injury.

Boss Graham Potter has revealed that Mwepu is likely to miss the last three games of the Premier League season.

Jeremy Sarmiento will sit out United’s visit to the south coast because of a hamstring problem but Potter has said that otherwise Brighton are in good health.