However the Crimson Devils, who received the League Cup previous this season to finish a six-year trophy drought, must to find higher shape if they’re to compete with Pep Guardiola’s red-hot group. “On Thursday I noticed a group I didn’t acknowledge however lately we went again to standard,” Ten Hag instructed the BBC, regarding their Europa League horror display in opposition to Sevilla. “I may just see resolution and resilience. We fought for each backyard and competed in each fight. We had excellent possibilities.”

Luke Shaw got here in at center-back for the suspended Harry Maguire, with Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes changing Jadon Sancho and Marcel Sabitzer following Thursday’s 3-0 defeat in Spain, which intended a 5-2 defeat on combination within the Europa League quarter-finals. Brighton, who misplaced the FA Cup last replay to United 40 years in the past, had received the previous two league fixtures between the edges and got here to Wembley on a prime after beating Chelsea final week.

The south-coast membership settled first and had an early sight of purpose when Kaoru Mitoma was once introduced down clumsily at the fringe of the field through Antony within the 6th minute. Argentine International Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister hit a high quality curling effort that David De Gea did neatly to stay out earlier than Julio Enciso flashed a shot extensive. Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton had been dominating ownership, with United it seems that content material to take a seat again and take a look at to take advantage of the tempo of Rashford and Antony.

Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez beat out a Fernandes effort in United’s first significant try on purpose. The massed ranks of Brighton lovers had been prepared to play at the nerves of De Gea every time the ball landed at his toes following a nightmare recreation for the Spaniard in Seville.

United, for lengthy classes scrappy, produced a flurry of possibilities in a while earlier than half-time, with Fernandes, Anthony Martial and Christian Eriksen failing to transform. Brighton had been temporarily out of the blocks in the beginning of the second one half of. Enciso compelled De Gea into a wise save earlier than former United ahead Danny Welbeck headed over from the ensuing nook.

However neither facet may just damage the impasse and referee Craig Pawson blew for extra-time. The sport was stretched, with half-chances at each ends however there was once nonetheless no step forward for all sides in spite of a couple of adjustments. United top-scorer Rashford, who struggled to hit peak tools, flashed extensive with 10 mins to head earlier than De Gea cleared following a goalmouth scramble on the different finish.

A high quality shootout came about in entrance of the massed ranks of the Brighton lovers. United exchange Sabitzer stepped as much as take his spot-kick with United 5-4 down and his center would have neglected a beat as Sanchez were given his hand to it however he may just now not stay it out. Brighton’s Adam Webster and United’s Wout Weghorst each scored earlier than March’s painful omit with the thirteenth kick gave defender Lindelof an opportunity he didn’t squander.

Ten Hag praised “cool” Lindelof and Shaw — first-choice central defenders Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane are out injured — and mentioned he was once inspired through the efficiency of De Gea. “He made some good saves,” he mentioned. “It harm when he made errors on Thursday. “Frequently when you are making errors as a keeper you get punished. We let him down, we didn’t battle again for him. We bounced again lately despite the fact that.”