Match Preview – Manchester United v Brighton
Manchester United – the club
Manchester United are the second most successful club in FA Cup history, having lifted the trophy on 12 previous occasions. Should they win it this year, they will equal Arsenal’s record of 13 titles. One of those of course came against the Albion in 1983 while their most recent success came under the “failed” management of everybody’s favourite mad Dutchman, Louis van Gaal when they beat Crystal Palace in a final more famous for Alan Pardew dancing like a complete twat. If you don’t recognise the name of Manchester United from their FA Cup pedigree, then you should do from the fact that most of the kids in the playground used to support them despite never having been north of Watford Gap. With this being our second visit to Old Trafford this season, it means many Albion fans have been to the Theatre of Dreams more times in the space of five months than most United fans do in their lifetime.
Manchester – the city
The Old Trafford area of Manchester has a long association with sport with not just United plying their trade there, but also Lancashire County Cricket Club. This came about due to scientist John Dalton deciding to site his Royal Horticultural and Botanical Gardens in the area, beginning a long association with sport and recreation. The area used to have four cinemas which seems a little excessive.
Manchester – the people
People from Manchester are known as Mancunians and by and large will be found at the Etihad Stadium rather than Old Trafford. Celebrity fans include Usain Bolt (from Jamaica), Rory McLroy (Northern Ireland) and Miley Cyrus (America) who all support United due their close geographical links to the city rather than the glory.
A good WeAreBrighton.com memory of Manchester United away
This will be our fourth visit to Manchester in the FA Cup. The last one came in the fourth round in January 1993 and the £100,000 the Albion generated from their share of the gate receipts went a long way to keeping the club in business by paying off an unpaid VAT bill. And now we are signing Dutch strikers for £14m.
A bad WeAreBrighton.com memory of Manchester United away
We really should’ve had something from our November league visit with only a Lewis Dunk own goal earning United all three points. Play that well again coupled with Jose Mourinho resting players by underestimating the Albion, and who knows what could happen.
Played for both
Four years ago when Jesse Lingard was on loan at the Amex from Old Trafford, we’d have wondered what you had been smoking if you’d told us he would be a regular for both club and country when we met in the FA Cup Quarter Final of 2018. Yet here we are. Lingard isn’t the only good loan player to have been sent to us by United down the years, with Paul McShane scoring a winner at Crystal Palace and James Wilson throwing up on the pitch before the game with Wolves on New Years Eve a few seasons ago.
Dangermen
If Mourinho plays a full strength team, we can expect to face the likes of Alexis Sanchez, David De Gea and Romelu Lukaku. If he doesn’t, well, it’s only Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford and Ander Herrera. Don’t worry though – Anthony Knockaert’s stupid suspension means we’ll have Jiri Skalak lining up. Gulp.
Betting
We haven’t managed a goal away at the big six so far this season. In fact, we’ve only scored seven times away and three of those came against an absolutely abysmal West Ham. Fill your boots with both teams to score no and a United clean sheet.
Prediction
If we were at the Amex, we’d have half a chance. At Old Trafford, a 2-0 win for United. Sorry, folks.
