Brighton vs Manchester United: Key striker returns to starting line-up but midfielder missing from Albion squad
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The striker, who hasn’t started since November due to an ankle injury, is among three changes to the Albion team which won 2-0 at Ipswich on Thursday night.
Welbeck – Brighton’s top scorer this season with six goals – featured as a second half substitute in the 4-0 FA Cup win at Norwich and also in the 2-0 victory at Ipswich.
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Hide AdThe veteran striker, whose career began at Old Trafford, holds the Premier League record for goals against a former club (five).


Captain Lewis Dunk (who has recovered from a calf problem) and Yankuba Minteh have replaced Adam Webster and Simon Adingra. Matt O'Riley is missing from the squad entirely – as is Jakub Moder.
The latter midfielder is reportedly set to sign for Feyenoord this month.
January signing Diego Gomez has been named among the substitutes as he appears in the Brighton squad for the first time.
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Hide AdBrighton boss Fabian Hurzeler believes his inconsistent team are starting to mature following their win at Portman Road – their first victory in nine league games.
"I think we experienced a lot of moments during the season where we were not mature enough to win the games,” said the German to Sussex World.
“[Against Ipswich] we proved that we are mature, that we learned from these bad experiences we had.
If Brighton are to get a positive result from Old Trafford they have to find a way to stop the in-from Diallo, who scored a late hat-trick in United’s 3-1 victory against Southampton last Thursday.
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Hide AdDiallo has six goals and six assists in the Premier League this term and Hurzeler believes the Ivory Coast international is a huge talent.
“He's a special player,” said the Albion boss. “Great quality, a good one-against-one player, he's able to make a difference in every moment of the game.
"Therefore we have to defend compactly as a team and then we see what opportunities we also have in possession. It will be a big challenge, but we try to go for it.
“Playing mature, not only focusing out of possession, also trying to find solutions in possession, because that's the key against big teams, that you always have a balance between the defence stability and controlling the game with your ideas. That will be the key.”
Brighton XI: Verbruggen, Dunk, Van Hecke, Veltman, Estupinan, Baleba, Ayari, Minteh, Mitoma, Pedro, Welbeck.
Subs: Steele, Lamptey, Webster, March, Enciso, Adingra, Rutter, Gomez, McConville.
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