"Would love them to get back to the final" - Mark Lawrenson makes prediction for FA Cup semi-final between Manchester United and Brighton
Former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson believes Brighton & Hove Albion will defeat Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-finals. The tie is scheduled to take place later today at Wembley (April 23).
Manchester United have been rejuvenated under Erik ten Hag this season. The former Ajax manager has done well in their transitional period so far, winning the Carabao Cup in February. The Red Devils are also likely to qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League and are currently third in the league table with 59 points.
However, Manchester United have struggled lately. Center-backs Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane are reportedly out for the remainder of the season due to injury, while Luke Shaw has only recently recovered from one.
They also crashed out of the Europa League quarter-finals on April 20, losing 3-0 to Sevilla in the second leg.
Mark Lawrenson believes that Brighton will edge the game. He said (via Paddy Power News):
"Manchester United play on Thursday night, they’ve got one or two injury problems and Brighton lie in wait in the FA Cup semi finals. Brighton will enjoy playing on that Wembley surface and, you know what, I’m going to go for Brighton to just about win this."
"They won’t change the way they play, they are getting up there with Manchester City in the way that the keep the ball, Brighton. Not only do they keep it, which is quite difficult to do, but they actually make loads and loads of chances."
He added:
"I think it will be tight but I’ll go for a 1-0 win for Brighton. There’s obviously some bias there because I was there for four years and it was fab but I would love them to get back to the final."
Roberto De Zerbi's Brighton have been a revelation this season, playing attractive attacking football with high intensity. They are currently eighth in the league with 49 points from 29 games.
Erik ten Hag believes Manchester United are a different team now to the one that lost to Brighton at the start of the season
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag believes his side are a completely different team from the one that lost to Brighton 2-1 at the start of the season.
In August, the Red Devils were defeated at Old Trafford after Pascal Gross scored a brilliant brace to ensure the Seagulls took all three points.
Since then, they have developed and become more consistent, Ten Hag reaffirmed and told reporters in the pre-match press conference (via Manchester United):
“Well, I hope that everyone sees that. What I heard from many of your other experts and fans [is] that we have made progress and that we developed, yeah. So, we are a different team now and I think, as I said, we made progress."
He added, however, that the process isn't complete and they must improve further:
"But also, we have to face we have steps to go, that is quite clear, and I can speak after Seville, it’s quite clear, but also some other games."
Erik ten Hag will be hoping to reach his second final later today against Brighton.