Manchester United might not have been the best team on the day in their FA Cup semi-final win over Brighton – but they were certainly the smartest.
The Red Devils secured a spot in the final thanks to their 7-6 penalty shootout victory and it was all thanks to the players engaging in the dark arts to get them over the line – before Brighton’s Solly March blazed over the bar with his final effort.
March became the only player to miss a penalty in the nervy shootout as Victor Lindelof then put his effort in the top corner to seal a final Wembley return for United.
The shootout had begun with David de Gea doing his best to gain the upper hand by studying a set of notes on his water bottle before the shootout began.
However, his ‘cheat sheet’ proved to be ineffectual as he was sent the wrong way on nearly every effort Brighton took.
Manchester United engaged in the dark arts to secure their penalty shootout win over Brighton
David de Gea started the sly tricks by studying notes on his water bottle before it started
During the shootout, with De Gea clearly struggling to make a stop that would give United the upper hand, Casemiro did his best to motivate him by dancing around on the halfway line.
Casemiro had volunteered to take United’s first penalty and coolly dispatched his effort.
But the midfielder didn’t simply score his effort and relax on the halfway line as others made the long walk to the penalty spot.
Instead he decided to offer United goalkeeper David de Gea some advice, in the hope that it would help him distract Brighton’s penalty-takers.
Originally locked arm-in-arm with Marcus Rashford – who also scored – Casemiro jumped away from his team-mates before shouting to catch De Gea’s attention.
Casemiro danced on the halfway line to show United goalkeeper David de Gea how to put Brighton’s penalty specialists off
United forward Wout Weghorst (left) kissed the ball before passing it to Solly March (right)
De Gea then scuffed the penalty spot as March stepped up to take his decisive effort
He then jumped around waving his arms in an apparent attempt to show the shot-stopper how to move between the goal as Brighton’s takers stepped up.
The ever-energetic Brazilian shook his arms wildly, kicked his legs out in various directions, and bounced side-to-side as De Gea watched on.
Towards the end, United forward Wout Weghorst had dispatched his own effort before taking the ball back to the spot and giving it a kiss before passing it Solly March who had approached to take his.
It proved to be the kiss of death as March completely missed the target with his effort to leave United one kick away from sealing a place in the final.
But De Gea might have played a part in March’s decisive missed kick too after he was seen slyly scuffing the penalty spot before the Englishman stepped up to take it.
March would balloon his spot kick well over the bar to send United through to the final
March ballooned his effort over the bar to make it an agonising day for the Seagulls – who threatened United and had plenty of chances to score but ultimately weren’t ruthless enough.
United, meanwhile, managed to frustrate them and stay solid before using their book of tricks to see them through into the final.
They’ll need more cunning ideas to see off rivals City in the final, but keeper De Gea is confident they can get the better of Pep Guardiola’s men.
‘We are in another final, but we have another big game on Thursday (at Tottenham), so now we have to go home for recovery and prepare again.
‘There is still a long way to go to the final. I am sure it is going to be a big game against one of the best teams in Europe, but we have shown already that we can beat them.
‘We already have one trophy, are in another final and going for the top four.
‘Of course that is not enough, but it is a great step from last season. We keep improving. We have big games coming and have to be ready.’
Source: dailymail.co.uk
