FA Cup: Brighton vs Man United live
Preview
Manchester United will face Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup semi-finals on Sunday at 3:30 pm (GMT), hoping to complete a domestic double in 2022-23.
Prior to defeating Grimsby which propelled the Seagulls into the semifinal, Brighton eliminated former champions Liverpool, as well as Stoke City and Middlesbrough, to reach their first FA Cup semi-final since the 2018-19 season, when they were defeated 1-0 by eventual winners Man City. While FA Cup success would provide a path to the Europa League, Brighton are still in the mix in the Premier League thanks to a deserved 2-1 win over Chelsea last weekend, which followed an unfair 2-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur.
The Seagulls have visited Wembley Stadium five times and have not won a single game, losing four and drawing once, a 2-2 draw with Man United in the original 1982-83 final before a 4-0 replay loss, but given Man United’s crisis, some may consider De Zerbi’s side the favourites for Sunday’s semifinal.
Erik ten Hag made no apologies for his team’s dismal performance in Seville, even saying that his squad was “not ready” for the game as hopes of a continental crown faded, but the possibility of repeating Liverpool’s EFL Cup and FA Cup double from last year remains very much alive.
Despite the fact that all four of Man United’s FA Cup games this season ended in 3-1 victories over Everton, Reading, West Ham United, and Fulham at Old Trafford, no team since Manchester City in 1925-26 has scored at least three goals in every game en route to the final – their most recent Wembley appearance for an FA Cup semi-final ended in defeat to Chelsea in 2019-20. A quick response to Thursday’s heartbreaking defeat may see Manchester United reach their 21st FA Cup semi-final, equalling Arsenal’s all-time record.
Head-to-head
Brighton’s past two games against Man United ended in victories, with a total score of 6-1. Their most recent matchup ended in a 2-1 win for Brighton earlier this season in the league.
Prediction
The significance of the game should not deter De Zerbi’s side, but while Man United have lots of selection issues to sort out, Brighton’s treatment room is filling up at the worst possible time. A long and miserable journey back from Spain will not help Ten Hag’s tired squad, and while the return of Fernandes could increase the Red Devils’ chance creation exponentially, we can still see an attack-minded Brighton exploiting Ten Hag’s wiped-out backline to reach the final.
Live Stream: Link 1, Link 2
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