Once again, it was a gripping contest on so many levels, loaded with incident, drama, argument. Once again, it would be decided at the very last from the penalty spot. There was a fundamental difference. This time it was Brighton who cavorted about the pitch when it was over, the victory theirs and with it the revenge.
It had been impossible to ignore the backstory of the FA Cup semi-final between the teams from the Sunday before last – and not least because the travelling Manchester United fans had been keen to remind everybody who would be going to Wembley for the final.
On that day United had squeaked home after a 0-0 draw and seven rounds of a penalty shootout, Solly March missing for Brighton, Victor Lindelöf then decisive. This time, the sting came in the fifth and final minute of stoppage time, the feeling confirmed that a helter-skelter game was building to an inexorable climax.
There had been chaos in the United area following a Brighton corner, the initial handball shouts against Luke Shaw overtaken when Bruno Fernandes cleared a Kaoru Mitoma shot from in front of his goalline, Alexis Mac Allister flashed over a low cross and Moisés Caicedo stepped inside to work David de Gea with a curler.
But then everybody went back to that suspect Shaw moment, not least the VAR, Andy Madley. It became clear very quickly that Shaw had pawed the corner away from the head of Lewis Dunk – an inexplicable lapse – and there was only one decision for the referee, Andre Marriner.
Emotions had run high throughout, with Brighton feeling particularly aggrieved by Marriner’s failure to award them a penalty earlier. Mitoma had a couple of big shouts, although Marriner’s decisions were sound.
Now we had fever pitch, Mac Allister – who was excellent in central midfield – standing over the kick, Roberto De Zerbi, the Brighton manager, unable to watch. He knew by the roar from the crowd that Mac Allister had scored and, at last, he was able to release all the pent-up frustration.
De Zerbi had claimed in his programme notes that Wembley had been “far from our thoughts”. Did anyone really believe that? On the next page, the Brighton chief executive, Paul Barber, wrote about having “an early opportunity to avenge” the semi-final, which felt like a more accurate mood reflector. By the end, De Zerbi was talking about justice, how there was a “god of football” because his team “deserved to win the semi-final”.
The scenes of celebration were wild, the points further firing Brighton’s dream of a first European qualification and making things a little more interesting for United in terms of their Champions League push. The major blot on United’s season has been their dismal away form. They have taken just one point from their matches against the three clubs above them and the five below them.
Brighton’s run-in is tough: they must still face Manchester City, Arsenal and Newcastle. But playing like this, they will fear nobody. They have feared nobody during an outstanding season in which they have created history. Their 55-point haul is a top-flight record for them – three better than their previous best from 1981-82. And that was during a 42-game campaign.
The fast and furious tone here was set in the opening minutes – and also the one that took in profligacy. Erik ten Hag would be left to lament that, in particular. Antony blew a gilt-edged one-on-one for United after being released by Fernandes; Mitoma did likewise at the other end after intercepting a loose Lindelöf pass. Mitoma hammered goalwards and De Gea took the ball full in the face. It went down as a brave block.
Once again, it was Mitoma on the Brighton left versus Aaron Wan-Bissaka – the former dazzling with his quick feet and darting runs, the latter playing him well, routinely getting his timing and distances right.
Mitoma wanted a penalty off Wan-Bissaka on 19 minutes when he felt what was a slight contact – the award would have been harsh – and earlier Mitoma had pushed a shot past the far post after a mesmeric dribble. There was also a fine Wan-Bissaka slide challenge on him inside the area. All of this within the first half of the first period. The duel would continue to crackle after the interval.
Marcus Rashford was in the mood for United – up against Caicedo, who excelled in a makeshift right-back role. Rashford worked Jason Steele on 28 minutes while Anthony Martial was denied one-on-one by the Brighton goalkeeper soon afterwards.
The game was rarely too far from boiling point, Caicedo leaving something on Rashford before the interval; Casemiro booked for taking out Mac Allister as he broke. Casemiro flirted with disaster when he fouled Mac Allister again while Antony was booked for a wild kick at Mac Allister after he felt the blood rush to his head.
De Zerbi sunk to his knees after Mitoma sliced inside and went to ground with Wan-Bissaka in attendance – again there was not enough in it for a penalty – and, after Fernandes had worked Steele with a rasping drive, Brighton pushed late on. March, on as a substitute, shot just wide while De Gea saved from Mac Allister. Brighton would not be denied.
