The All Blacks' high performance chief Mike Anthony is switching from rugby to football to join Premier League side Brighton.

Anthony will begin work in February as the club's head of player development and high performance, subject to work permit clearance.

Man United have faced Brighton in six previous FA Cup ties and have won them all, most recently in the 2023 semifinals, prevailing 7-6 on penalties after a goalless draw. In the league, though, Brighton have won three of their last four visits to Old Trafford (the lone loss came this season, a 4-2 reverse) and that makes for an intriguing fixture.

The Red Devils kicked off the post-Ruben Amorim era with an underwhelming draw symbolic of the Portuguese’s reign, with caretaker boss Darren Fletcher hopeful of significant improvements from the 2–2 stalemate at Burnley.

It was unlike Brighton to go so hard in the summer 2024 transfer window but there are signs the investment is beginning to pay off

Brighton eased past Burnley 2-0 at the Amex Stadium on Saturday as the Seagulls recorded their first win in seven. Georginio Rutter put Fabian Hurzeler’s side ahead in the first half and Yasin Ayari doubled their lead early in second as Brighton bounced back from a winless December to start January off with a victory.

Man United knocked out by Brighton as familiar flaws resurfaceManchester United’s season continues to unravel, this time under the unforgiving spotlight of the FA Cup. A 2-1 defeat to Brighton at

Brighton made a Premier League record profit across all clubs of £122.8m in 2022-23. That was aided by player sales, merit money for finishing sixth to qualify for Europe for the first time and compensation for the move by De Zerbi’s predecessor Graham Potter and members of his backroom staff to Chelsea in September 2022.