(Football news) Manchester United head to Wembley for Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final clash with Brighton & Hove Albion. The winners between Manchester City and Sheffield United will await Sunday’s triumphant team as the Red Devils seek to avoid a pair of defeats in a couple of days. Brighton ended the Grimsby town fairytale run in the quarter-finals with a comprehensive 5-0 thrashing, as De Zerbi ended their Wembley hoodoo The Seagulls have only visited the iconic stadium five times and have never won their but the only draw at this venue came against Man United in 1982-83 final before a 4-0 replay loss.
Brighton dethroned former champions Liverpool while they also beat Stoke City and Middlesbrough and reached their first FA Cup semi-final since the 2018-19 campaign, where they were beaten 1-0 by eventual winners Man City. FA Cup glory would present a route into the Europa League as Brighton who are still in the continental mix in the Premier League after they had been beaten by Tottenham Hotspur by the same scoreline. Brighton should take a leaf out of Sevilla’s book and hand United their second loss this week.
Man United have themselves to blame for their surprise Europa League exit as a pair of defensive mistakes from David de Gea and Harry Maguire hardly helped 6 time Europa League winners Sevilla get a 3-0 second-leg win on Thursday night. Erik ten Hag called his “not ready” for the encounter as dreams of a continental crown slipped away, but the prospect of winning the EFL Cup and FA Cup double.
While Wembley will be a neutral venue this weekend, as a record of two wins from their last six away from home does not make for pleasant reading as Ten Hag’s side have failed to net in their last three defeats on unfamiliar territory. If Man United reach the semifinals then it will be a 21st FA Cup semi-final matching Arsenal’s all-time record. Brighton have never beaten the Red Devils in their five FA Cup matches, but have won their last two Premier League games against them.
Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:
Sanchez; Gross, Webster, Dunk, Estupinan; Caicedo, Mac Allister; March, Enciso, Mitoma; Welbeck
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Shaw, Malacia; Casemiro, Eriksen; Antony, Fernandes, Rashford; Weghorst
Also read: Arsenal rescue 1 point in an all time classic Premier League match
