Manchester City First Team Since 1966 To Reach FA Cup Final Without Conceding A Goal. Manchester City has achieved a remarkable feat in their journey to the 2023 FA Cup final. Man City became the first team in English football divisions to reach the summit clash without conceding a goal. They accomplished this after their latest triumph over second-tier Sheffield United at Wembley Stadium, where Riyad Mahrez’s hat-trick propelled them to a convincing 3-0 victory.
If Manchester City wins the final, it will be the first time in 57 years that they have achieved this feat. It would be even more special as they could potentially face their arch-rivals Manchester United, making it the first all-Manchester clash in the showpiece event. Although City has reached the FA Cup final on 12 occasions in the past, their impeccable defensive record this season has set them apart from previous campaigns.
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Other FA Cup Updates
From 9 pm IST on Sunday, April 23rd, Brighton and Manchester United will compete against each other in the FA Cup semi-finals held at Wembley. The team who emerges victorious will face Manchester City in an all-Premier League final on June 3, which will take place at the home of English football.
Deniz Undav, Evan Ferguson, Solly March, and Kaoru Mitoma scored for Brighton in their comfortable 5-0 victory against Grimsby at home, in the previous round of the competition. It was the second instance this season when they managed to score five goals. In contrast, United had to mount a comeback to register a 3-1 win over Fulham at Old Trafford in the quarterfinals.
Nayef Aguerd’s own goal in the 77th minute brought them level before Alejandro Garnacho and Fred netted in the final seven minutes to seal the win. Interestingly, all of United’s four matches in the FA Cup have concluded in 3-1 victories.
Brighton’s form has been impressive, having won 2-1 against Chelsea in the Premier League last week. They have had eight days to prepare for their upcoming game, while United was knocked out of the UEFA Europa League by Sevilla midweek.
Brighton Vs Manchester United Predictions
The Seagulls have only suffered two losses in competitions in 2023 and have already eliminated reigning champions Liverpool earlier this season. They are currently aiming for their first FA Cup final in 40 years.
Meanwhile, injuries to key players have impacted United’s recent performances, with the team experiencing three defeats in 11 games across competitions. Anthony Martial sustained an injury during the defeat at Sevilla, and Harry Maguire’s suspension has left Victor Lindelöf as the only available center-back for Erik ten Hag.
Although Manchester United has remained undefeated against Brighton in the FA Cup and has played more games at Wembley, it is expected that the Seagulls will secure a narrow victory considering United’s depleted squad and Brighton’s recent form.
We predict that Brighton has a higher chance of winning this semi-final match against Manchester United.
