Apart from Manchester City, Brighton is the team that clubs currently do not want to play.
The Seagulls are now in seventh place in the Premier League and are on track to play in Europe next season. They have only lost once in their last nine games, a feat Manchester United also accomplished.
It's not surprising that many thought Brighton would be a tougher test than Sevilla before Thursday, but that opinion suddenly seems more alarming as the Wembley arch approaches.
It will make a great difference that Bruno Fernandes is back after missing Sevilla due to suspension, but Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane's absences will also have an impact. This season, United has recovered from setbacks, but their ailments make the task against Brighton more difficult.
In spite of this, United will be the favorites, and a few players have something to show following a disastrous performance against Sevilla and before the summer transfer market. Harry Maguire would have been one if not for his match suspension.
David de Gea, whose current contract is slated to expire this summer, is equally responsible for his error that led to Spain's first goal. The goalie, who has served the team admirably for more than ten years, is the last surviving member of the title-winning team from 2012–2013.
Football has advanced over the past 10 years, though, and De Gea's error that led to Sevilla's third goal illustrated the issue Erik ten Hag is trying to address by having a shot-stopper who is also skilled with his feet.
A heroic performance against Brighton would allow the Spaniard, who has made several important saves this season, to reaffirm his status in contract negotiations. He will probably be employed, but it is still up for debate as to how long and whether competition will be added.
According to reports, United is willing to let Anthony Martial go this summer. He has missed more than 30 games this season due to injuries, and on Thursday against Sevilla, he was forced to leave the game with a knock.
The Frenchman may be in serious trouble if he is unable to play in the semifinal. But if he is well enough to compete, he can use the game as a springboard for the rest of the year to try to maintain his United status.
No one is debating Martial's caliber; this season, he has contributed just under a goal per game. However, in order to be effective and offer the edge, you must be on the field, and Martial hasn't been there for United when they most needed him. He has this weekend to start over.
Jadon Sancho is another player who is expected to do well in critical situations. He has recovered surprisingly well from his time away from the team over the holiday season, but his season's pinnacle achievement occurred in the 2-1 home victory over Liverpool, which occurred back in August.
Since being on loan in January, Marcel Sabitzer has performed well. He has three goals in 14 games, which is a higher ratio than striker Wout Weghorst. The verdict on Sabitzer is still out, even though the latter is unlikely to sign on.
The Reds require more than just a teammate who performs well if United is to advance the next season. He demonstrated his talent against Sevilla in the first leg, but additional displays along those lines in the season's final month are required to land a long-term contract.
He is not included in Ten Hag's starting XI since he went AWOL in Seville. The United manager requires competition, not a player for the bench.
Ahead of Sunday's FA Cup match against Manchester United, Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi was asked about the injury situation for his team, but he held his cards close to his chest.
A growing number of Albion players have been sidelined in recent weeks, including midfielders Adam Lallana and Jakub Moder, right-back Tariq Lamptey, winger Jeremy Sarmiento, goalkeeper Jason Steele, and striker Evan Ferguson.
The Italian stated last weekend that Veltman and Ferguson might be sidelined for a few weeks, and it is anticipated that Moder (ACL), Lallana (hamstring), and Sarmiento (metatarsal) will also be sidelined for some time.
However, prior to this match, the former Shakhtar Donetsk boss made no predictions on who was healthy and who wasn't, other than to mention that Steele might be available again after missing the victory over Chelsea last weekend.
De Zerbi stated on Friday afternoon: "The position on injuries is not clear. We'll find out in the morning. There are still two more days. We have time to comprehend the issue and consider our options."
When asked if Jason Steele could be fit again, he replied: "Yes, but I don't know if he is 100% or if he can play."
After facing United this weekend, Brighton are back in Premier League action as they face Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Wednesday, followed by Wolves four days later at the Amex Stadium.
Roberto De Zerbi, manager of Brighton and Hove Albion, has made a statement ahead of the crucial FA Cup semi-final matchup between the Seagulls and Manchester United on Sunday.
Brighton will be looking to take advantage of the Red Devils' recent deteriorating record that saw them crash out of the Europa League after losing 5-2 (on aggregate) to Sevilla on Thursday night in order to secure their spot in the renowned cup competition's final at Wembley.
De Zerbi, though, has repeated that he is sure Erik Ten Hag's United are a force to be reckoned with after speaking to reporters ahead of this weekend's game.
For sure Sevilla played a great, great game [against Man United],” De Zerbi told reporters on Friday.
“Sevilla, like United, is a big team in Europe. […] I think the best solution is to be focused in ourselves, what we can do and what we have to do to win the game."
"[…] Man United is one of the best teams in the UK but I think we are deserving to play this type of game in this competition.”
Meanwhile, Brighton Albion's winger Kaoru Mitoma has hailed Manchester United's team and stated that they are a tough opponent.
They [United] are a great opponent but yes, we have a great chance to go to the final. Winning there on Sunday will mean a lot for the club and we want to give our best to go to the final," he told Brighton's website.
"It will be another tough game They have a lot of talented players, so we have to pay attention to them, look after the ball better, and take the initiative of the match. And if we can play our football, I think we have a chance.”
Post a Comment