Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag said he was delighted with his team's "determination and resilience" after reaching the FA Cup final with a dramatic penalty shootout victory against Brighton & Hove Albion.
Three days after a humiliating Europa League exit to Sevilla, United's win at Wembley on Sunday, after a 0-0 stalemate, was music to the ears of their Dutch manager.
"On Thursday I saw a team I didn't recognise but today we went back to usual," he said. "I could see determination and resilience. We fought for every yard and competed in every battle. We had good chances."
The normally measured Ten Hag was livid with his team's lack of effort on Thursday and admitted yelling at the players after their 3-0 rout for a 5-2 aggregate defeat in the quarter-finals.
"I can't accept that my team is not giving its best," said the Dutchman.
But there was nothing but positive words on Sunday after Victor Lindelof, United's seventh player to step up to the spot, slotted home the winning penalty after Brighton's Solly March missed by launching the ball over the bar.
It was the first-ever FA Cup semi-final shootout to go to sudden death.
"He is quite cool when it comes to penalties and he's quite cool in general," Ten Hag said of Lindelof.
United's manager was also pleased with his goalkeeper David de Gea, who was kept busy by several Brighton efforts, a marked improvement from his performance in Seville.
"He made some brilliant saves. It hurt when he made mistakes on Thursday," Ten Hag said. "Often when you make mistakes as a keeper you get punished. We let him down, we didn't fight back for him. We bounced back today though."
Brighton v Man United player ratings
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BRIGHTON RATINGS: Robert Sanchez - 8. Unbreachable for 120 minutes and produced a couple of spectacular saves, including a deflected effort from Rashford. Like the rest of his Brighton teammates, didn't deserve to be on the losing side. Getty -
Pascal Gross - 7. Deployed at right-back, the German was comfortable in a less than familiar position and buried his penalty in the shootout. Getty -
Adam Webster - 8. Rock solid at the back to keep Martial and United's forwards quiet throughout regular and extra time. Excellent penalty in the shootout. PA -
Lewis Dunk - 8. A captain's performance from Brighton's longest-serving player in one of the biggest games in the club's history. Took the nerve-shredding fifth penalty and dispatched with ease. AP -
Pervis Estupinan - 7. Full of energy and provided a constant outlet down the left. Could have done better with a chance on goal but a good performance by the Ecuadorian. AP -
Moises Caicedo - 9. A key part of Brighton's successful season and was excellent again at Wembley. The Ecuadorian was the beating heart of his team's midfield. Little wonder Europe's biggest clubs are courting the 21-year-old. AFP -
Alexis Mac Allister - 8. A display befitting a World Cup winner, the Argentine, alongside Caicedo, ensured Brighton won the midfield battle and controlled large parts of the contest. AFP -
Solly March - 7. Lively on Brighton's right side and forced De Gea into a big save. Can only imagine how March is feeling the next morning after his missed penalty ended his team's FA Cup dream. PA -
Julio Enciso - 7. Always looked to get in and around the United box, and was an ever-present danger. Should have done better with a shot he blazed over. Getty -
Kaoru Mitoma - 7. Every time the Japanese winger was on the ball he looked to make things happen. Couldn't quite deliver the end product he so often has this season, and will rue the heavy touch that ended a golden goalscoring chance. EPA -
Danny Welbeck - 6. Had arguably the best chance of the game but sent an uncontested header just over the bar. The least effective player in Brighton's attack. AP -
SUBS: Joel Veltman (Enciso 67') - 7. Like the rest of his team, put in an admirable shift and kept United at bay. AFP -
Deniz Undav (Welbeck 75') - 6. The striker will rue the heavy touch when played clean through by Caicedo. Beyond that, didn't really threaten the United goal. Dispatched his penalty well, though. PA -
MANCHESTER UNITED RATINGS: David De Gea – 8. Superb diving save from a Mac Allister free-kick on six. Had to be alert through and made another key stop from a goalbound Estupinan shot on 56. Got low to save from March on 82. And did what he needed to do to pressure the final penalty taker. AFP -
Aaron Wan Bissaka – 8. Wonderful tackle on Mitoma after 31 on the edge of the United area and again to stop the Japanese on 54. Fine battling run on 59 to set up a United attack. PA -
Victor Lindelof – 7. Needed to be aggressive and he was against Brighton’s talented front four. Won the ball, put his body first against Welbeck. Stopped two late Brighton attacks, then booked for tussling with Mac Allister. Buried the winning penalty. PA -
Luke Shaw – 7. Comfortable at centre half and anticipated several Brighton attacks well. Booked – yet he took that one for the team after he’d done well to set Antony up. AFP -
Diogo Dalot – 7. Turned a very dangerous 29th-minute Brighton attack away from goal. Got up to challenge for Brighton’s corners – and one header won praise from De Gea in the 90th minute. Energetic in extra time and put a convincing penalty away. AP -
Casemiro – 6. Booked for a tackle on Mac Allister – he did what most Brazilians would do going into a tackle with an Argentine. Instinctively set up Fernandes with a clear shot on goal on 44. Fouled in a yellow card tackle by Mitoma on 90. Caught in possession in the 102nd minute – rare for him. Drove a 117th minute shot at Sanchez as United finished strongly. Stroked the first United penalty in. PA -
Christian Eriksen – 6. Tried to pick out the forward players with passes. Caught out with the speed of Brighton’s press. Set up beautifully by Rashford on 45 as United enjoyed a positive spell. The first player off for the more energetic Fred. AFP -
Antony – 6. Booked after five minutes for fouling Mitoma on the edge of the area, but a threat going forward, if rarely near goal. Struggled with the strength of Estupinan and with Mitoma tracking back. Got closer to goal in the first attack of the second half, then got back to stop a Brighton attack. Threaded a shot on target on 58, but it was easily saved. As was his 63rd minute effort after being delightfully set up by Fernandes. AP -
Bruno Fernandes – 6. Back after missing Thursday’s horrendous defeat in Seville. Drew a save from Sanchez on 14 and then cut in towards goal two minutes later. Always tried to find pockets of space. Hobbled himself after a clash with Mac Allister and looked to be in severe pain but carried on. Skewed a shot wide on 44. A flick to Antony split Brighton’s defence to set him up. PA -
Marcus Rashford – 6. Like Martial, quiet in the first half until the end when he sprinted onto a ball and set up Eriksen. Marked closely by Gross, but his 105th minute shot was as close as United came to scoring. Smashed a shot wide on 111. No mistaking with his penalty either. AFP -
Anthony Martial – 5. Quiet first half, then he tried to lob ‘keeper Sanchez on 45 and his pained expression showed how far he was from hitting the target. Getty -
SUBS: Fred (Eriksen 61’) – 7. Nicked the ball from Brighton a few times and played a ball across goal in 102nd minute, but no United forward was there to meet it. Won ball back again to set up an attack where Rashford came close to giving his side the lead. Tight onto March to limit his effectiveness in a 107th minute attack. Headed a late Brighton attack away, too. AFP -
Jadon Sancho (Martial 83’) – 6. Chipped a shot wide and over on 87. Set up Sabitzer with a header on 97 minutes after intelligent play down the left. Lovely penalty in the shootout. AFP -
Marcel Sabitzer (Antony 90’) – 7. Totally wasted a 114th minute free-kick by hitting the ball well over the box. The goalkeeper got a touch, but his penalty – the fifth – went in under great pressure. AP -
Tyrell Malacia (Wan Bissaka 101’) – 5. Gave two balls away. Reuters -
Wout Weghorst (Fernandes 101’) – 6. Worked hard, as always. Tried to get the crowd up too. Calm for his penalty, United’s sixth. EPA
Sunday's win set up the first all-Manchester FA Cup final, after City cruised past Sheffield United 3-0 on Saturday, and Ten Hag's second showpiece match in his first season at the helm after he guided United to a League Cup triumph in February.
Brighton had hoped to continue their dream run to what would have been their second FA Cup final before the wayward penalty from March, who hung his head crestfallen, hands on hips, after the miss while Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi consoled him.
"In penalties anything can happen. You can make mistakes. March is one of the best players in our team and I'm proud of him and the rest of the players, especially today," De Zerbi said.
"(March) is sad but, I repeat, we have to close this day and tomorrow we have to think about another game. We need the possibility to forget. We want to achieve in Europe."
Brighton are eighth in the Premier League and battling to secure a European qualifying spot for next season.
