Still dreaming of a domestic double in the 2022-23 campaign, Manchester United head to Wembley for Sunday's FA Cup semi-final date with Brighton & Hove Albion.
The victor of Saturday's other semi between Manchester City and Sheffield United will await Sunday's triumphant team in the showpiece match, as the Red Devils seek to avoid a pair of swift knockout eliminations after a disastrous night in Seville.
Match preview
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While playing on Premier League turf will live long in the memories of the Grimsby Town crop, a ruthless Brighton side ended the Mariners' fairytale in the quarter-finals with a comprehensive 5-0 thrashing, and ending their Wembley hoodoo is next on Roberto De Zerbi's tick list.
The Seagulls have visited the iconic stadium five times and have failed to claim a single win - losing four and drawing once, a 2-2 stalemate with Man United in the original 1982-83 final before a 4-0 replay loss - but some may even consider De Zerbi's goal-happy crop the favourites for Sunday's semi given Man United's predicament.
Prior to teaching Grimsby a footballing lesson, Brighton dethroned former champions Liverpool while also seeing off Stoke City and Middlesbrough, thus reaching their first FA Cup semi-final since the 2018-19 campaign, where they were sent packing 1-0 by eventual winners Man City.
While FA Cup glory would present a route into the Europa League, Brighton are still in the continental mix in the Premier League courtesy of a merited 2-1 win over Chelsea last weekend, which came after they had undeservedly been beaten by Tottenham Hotspur by the same scoreline.
Finding the back of the net in each of their last nine fixtures across all competitions, Brighton trek to Wembley with the wind in their sails, and taking a leaf out of Sevilla's book should lead to a joyful afternoon for those in blue and white.
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In truth, Man United should have rubber-stamped a Europa League semi-final berth during the first leg of their quarter-final with Sevilla, but a late capitulation at Old Trafford preceded one of their worst performances of the season in front of a wall of white.
A pair of defensive disaster classes from David de Gea and Harry Maguire hardly helped matters, but serial Europa League winners Sevilla were full value for their 3-0 second-leg win on Thursday night, as Youssef En-Nesyri capitalised on two dreadful errors either side of Loic Bade's shoulder finish.
Erik ten Hag made no bones about his side's horrendous showing in Seville, going as far to say that his injury-ravaged squad were "not ready" for the encounter as dreams of a continental crown slipped away, but the prospect of emulating Liverpool's EFL Cup and FA Cup double from last year is very much still alive.
Incredibly, all four of Man United's FA Cup fixtures this term ended in 3-1 wins versus 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 - but their most recent Wembley outing for a semi-final ended in defeat to Chelsea in 2019-20.
While Wembley will be classed as a neutral venue this weekend, a record of two wins from their last six away from home does not make for pleasant reading for the travelling fans, whose side have failed to net in their last three defeats on unfamiliar territory.
Alternatively, an immediate response to Thursday's gut-wrenching loss could see Man United reach a 21st FA Cup semi-final - matching Arsenal's all-time record - and Brighton have never beaten the Red Devils in five FA Cup matches, but winning their last two Premier League games against them means that the Albion faithful can dare to dream.
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Team News
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Brighton's victory at Stamford Bridge last time out came at quite the cost, as Joel Veltman and Evan Ferguson came off with thigh and ankle problems respectively, and De Zerbi has already ruled the pair out of the semi-final.
Joining Veltman and Ferguson in a well-occupied medical bay are Jakub Moder (ACL), Tariq Lamptey (knee), Adam Lallana (thigh) and Jeremy Sarmiento (knee), while goalkeeper Jason Steele is doubtful with a knock, but Levi Colwill is back in the fold after being unable to face his parent club.
Danny Welbeck will come in from the outset against his old club in place of Ferguson, and with Pascal Gross likely dropping in at right-back, the door is open for Julio Enciso to come in for a start after his rocket of a winner against Chelsea.
As for an injury-riddled Man United, Ten Hag's defensive crisis will be exacerbated by the absence of Harry Maguire, who is suspended for the semi-final after picking up his second FA Cup yellow card of the campaign in their chaotic win over Fulham.
With Lisandro Martinez (foot) and Raphael Varane (ankle) also sidelined, Victor Lindelof should be partnered by Luke Shaw, although the Englishman was not moving comfortably towards the end of the second leg with Sevilla and will need a once-over.
Tom Heaton and Alejandro Garnacho also remain out with their ankle problems alongside Donny van de Beek (knee), while Scott McTominay's knock will require assessment in the next 48 hours, and the hapless Anthony Martial has emerged as a doubt after limping off early in the second half against Sevilla.
On a couple of cheery notes, Bruno Fernandes is back from a Europa League ban, while Marcus Rashford was fit enough for a second-half cameo in Seville and should now come into consideration for a start over Jadon Sancho.
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
We say: Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 Manchester United (a.e.t)
The magnitude of the occasion should not faze De Zerbi's high-flying outfit, but while Man United have plenty of selection concerns to solve, Brighton's treatment room is also filling up at the worst possible time.
A long and miserable journey back home from Spain will do Ten Hag's fatigued outfit no benefits either, and while the return of Fernandes ought to boost the Red Devils' chance creation tenfold, we can still envisage an attack-minded Brighton taking advantage of Ten Hag's decimated backline to reach the final - they may take 120 minutes to get there, though.
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Top tip
Ben Knapton
