There were 12,000 more matchgoers present for this semi-final than the previous day's non-contest. "The city is yours," crowed the Manchester United supporters, "20,000 empty seats: are you f-----g sure?" Those of a red and blue persuasion will be back at Wembley next month.
United's only penalty shootout triumph in their previous eight was against Rochdale and the goalkeeper was Robert Sanchez, between the sticks for Brighton. David de Gea was rested that night.
De Gea, captaining United with Bruno Fernandes substituted, lost the coin tosses for the choice of end and the taker. Brighton had the benefit of a blue-and-white backdrop and stepping up first.
Also read: United player ratings vs Brighton
De Gea kept consulting his kit bag, where notes were concealed, between kicks. He conceded six penalties - 17 in succession in shootouts. In the end, De Gea was not required. Solly March, the Brighton academy graduate, skied his kick.
March was in tears at full-time. De Gea measuredly consoled his compatriot Sanchez. De Gea was not a matchwinner in the shootout but he was dependable in regulation time; a timely response to his midweek mishaps.
Wout Weghorst reacted to Victor Lindelof's winning kick by embarking on his own one-man celebration, sprinting faster than he ever has to slide on his knees in front of the delirious throng of United followers. Weghorst epitomised the team's performance; imperfect, committed and nerveless when it most mattered.
Weghorst converted in a World Cup quarter-final and his gamesmanship possibly unnerved March when he handed him the ball and kissed it. The kiss of death in sudden death.
Circle the date on your calendar. United's season is now certain to end with the first all-Manchester FA Cup final on June 3. This was always the bigger knockout tie in United's week and they overcame a lethargic performance against one of the most impressive sides in the Premier League. United will have another gruelling encounter with Brighton at the Amex on Thursday week.
Brighton had their moments. Roberto de Zerbi launched a water bottle at the advertising hoarding over Deniz Undav's first touch that denied him the game's glaring chance five minutes into extra-time. Kaoru Mitoma committed the same sin beyond 100 minutes.
Sanchez, also beaten by United's five spotkicks with Rochdale in the League Cup in 2019, got closer to a stop than De Gea. He will be lying awake at night, replaying Marcel Sabitzer's sudden-death effort he palmed into the side of the net. Sanchez could not have dived further away from Lindelof's winner.
Lindelof, the only out-and-out centre half available to Erik ten Hag, highlighted why he should be higher up the pecking order. His strike from 12 yards was arguably the best of the 14 kicks and Bruno Fernandes was so sure he would nail it he lined up the United substitutes and staff to prepare to celebrate.
In a rare misjudgement, Lindelof earlier carelessly conceded a corner and Diogo Dalot's instinct was to high-five him, like a pair losing a point in doubles. De Gea had to claw away Julio Enciso's piledriver from the first centre and Danny Welbeck was off-target from the second.
United players could do with more confrontational characters prepared to challenge teammates. As the clock ticked past 90 minutes, Dalot slapped his thighs in exasperation at the signal for another Brighton corner amid the edgier atmosphere. United hung on to trigger a 30-minute extension.
Antony and Fernandes, players-turned-coaches for extra-time and the shootout, had to be ordered to take their seats after they appealed for a free-kick. They were agitated again when Mitoma, already booked, needlessly collided into De Gea.
Antony, one of the spikier personalities in the squad, gave Weghorst a pep talk during the pause in extra-time and interacted with the supporters when United's press finally defeated the near-immaculate Moises Caicedo. Antony would have generated a louder reaction had he connected more cleanly with his side-footer seconds later.
The United players did rail and rage against the refereeing of Craig Pawson, who does he utmost to be noticed. His contradictory officiating ensured he received plenty of airtime. There were sarcastic cheers from United supporters when a Brighton player was finally booked in stoppage-time of regulation time.
Fernandes, with the captain's armband strapped to his bicep again, demonstrated why he is Ten Hag's de facto leader. Eriksen found him in the area but the pass was not adequate enough and the Portuguese measuredly critiqued it as soon as the ball went dead. Eriksen was understanding.
More than three years on, Fernandes has still not missed a United match through injury and he did not succumb to an apparent twisted ankle until the 90 minutes were up. Sabitzer and Fred were instructed to warm up but must have known there was next to no chance of United's skipper withdrawing prematurely.
A surfer flag bearing the United devil was hijacked by the 'Glazers out' banner, only no sooner had it been unfurled that it was concealed by the bigger banner. Any attempt at censorship failed for it resurfaced sporadically.
Ten Hag spoke demonstratively to Aaron Wan-Bissaka within 15 minutes and was soon on Antony's case. The next time Antony received the ball, he accelerated United's counter-attack and found Eriksen in space to set up Fernandes to test the reactions of Sanchez.
Ten Hag made the most of having Antony within earshot in the first half, holding court for a lengthy conflab while March was treated. Fernandes's awkward landing signalled Lindelof's turn to be lectured.
Wan-Bissaka was a logical inclusion in spite of his interval removal on Thursday, doubtless picked on the strength of his second-half performance against Allan Saint-Maximin in the League Cup final. Mitoma was not as one-dimensional a foe and eschewed duels down the line, instead cutting inside and drawing a cynical foul from Antony for Alexis Mac Allister to force the first save from De Gea. Wan-Bissaka caught up with Mitoma with his signature sliding tackle.
Martial, wearing gloves with the temperature at 13 degrees, got colder with the sun shining on Wembley. The gloves stayed on for the entirety of his 85 minutes as Martial never warmed up.
Exactly seven years to the day since Martial slotted in the semi-final winner against Everton, this performance signalled how unfulfilling his United career has been. That Wembley winner was possibly Martial's career zenith and the number nine's number is up at United when they recruit a new goalscorer in the summer.
Selecting two right-footed full-backs was contentious after the experiment lasted 45 minutes in Seville. Luke Shaw comforted an upset mascot in the tunnel and his presence at centre half was of great comfort to United with Harry Maguire suspended. Shaw was an upgrade.
De Gea started well with his hands and feet but he steadily regressed with the latter. One kick that the broadcasters failed to beam to audiences was intended for Antony, on standby to dash into the Brighton half. The ball did not reach the halfway line.
The introductions of Weghorst and Tyrell Malacia in the 100th minute prompted fellow substitute Fred to seek guidance on who was playing where. Energy trumped ability and Ten Hag took a risk in hooking key dead-ball strikers in Fernandes and Antony.
De Gea's hands were always going to be more decisive. With the jeopardy never higher, they were not required.
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