The FA Cup betting odds for Sunday’s semi-final between Manchester United and Brighton suggest a wide-open affair, with the Red Devils actually regarded as the betting outsiders by many bookmakers. Despite having beaten Newcastle United at Wembley already this season to lift the EFL Cup, Erik Ten Hag’s side are trading at a big price to beat a vibrant Seagulls team who have top four claims of their own.
Roberto De Zerbi has done an incredible job since taking charge of Brighton and he represents an upgrade on Graham Potter, with the Italian hoping that his swashbuckling team are able to perform to a high level on the big occasion. Kaoru Mitoma is playing some excellent football in the wide left position, although Euan Ferguson is likely to be missing through injury.
The odds for both teams to score suggests that we might get an entertaining affair, with this outcome available at odds-on, with Over 2.5 Goals trading at a similar price. Ten Hag will hope that his players can deliver without the injured Marcus Rashford, although Casemiro is back from suspension and Christian Eriksen has returned from injury.
There is some merit in backing the team you want to win and combining it with both teams to score. Brighton games are nearly always entertaining and they will want to get on the front foot, while United have some defensive issues now that Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane are both missing from the back line and that could swing the balance in favour of Brighton.