'Drive forward or crumble' - Brighton boss issues ultimatum after 'ruthless' FA Cup loss to Man United

Brighton head coach, Mikey Harris, expressed his strong disappointment at his side’s 4-0 defeat to Manchester United Women in the FA Cup Quarter Finals.

Although Albion started the game brightly, in the ninth minute a perfectly weighted cross found the head of Millie Turner to open the scoring for Manchester United. Nikita Parris swiftly doubled the Red Devils’ lead as she coolly slotted her shot past Sophie Baggaley following a sublime through ball from Katie Zelem.

United created plenty of chances to extend their lead, and they did so through a tap-in from Lucia Garcia following a neat one-two from Ella Toone and Melvine Malard. A fourth was added in the 59th minute, when Lisa Naalsund curled a long range effort past Baggaley to secure her first FA Cup goal.

Manager reaction

Brighton head coach, Harris said: “It was a really tough night. I think firstly you have to accept that Manchester United were very good tonight; very clinical, very ruthless. I actually felt like we started the game well, and then it just became one of those nights where nothing went for us.

“We’ve got to learn from it. I’ve got to look at how I’ve prepared the team and how I can improve in order to help the players as much as possible. Sometimes in football you suffer and then you’ve got two options, to either use it as fuel to drive you forward and be better, or you crumble. I know which one of those we will do as a group and certainly that I will do as the head coach.

“I think we’ve clearly been hurt by a couple of second phase set pieces tonight, it’s been a difficult area for us all season. We’re doing our best to try and improve, but obviously tonight I thought Manchester United were really good."

Manchester United manager Mark Skinner added: “It was a fantastic performance from the team today, we were totally dominant throughout the game. I’m so pleased with the players for their attitude and application, it’s one of our best performances all season I’d say.

“Zelem was fantastic tonight, she controlled the tempo and the second spaces really well. Melvine looked electric tonight too, all she’s got to do is take one of the two chances she had to get herself a goal as she’s got into the fantastic space to do it.

“Even Mary (Earps) was fantastic, there were moments in that last part of the game where she was controlling our game. This gives us the clean sheet and builds momentum and quality. I thought our back line was exceptional too in their duelling; it was a huge, huge performance.”

Match report

Although the Albion had started brightly at Broadfield in the opening minutes of the FA Cup clash, it was Manchester United who opened the scoring in just the 9th minute through defender Turner. An initial ball into the Seagulls’ box was dealt with momentarily by the Albion, however a follow up cross from midfielder Zelem was weighted perfectly toward the back of the box for Turner to head home for the away side.

From this opener, Manchester United increased their intent, with an unsuspected- but also sublime- through ball from Malard in the 17th minute cutting through the Albion’s defence and playing in in-form striker, Parris. Parris wasted no time in calmly slotting the ball past Brighton goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley to double the Red Devils’ lead, and simultaneously deflate Brighton fans’ hopes of an FA Cup Semi Final spot.

However, it seemed instead that the side in blue and white had used the newly increased deficit to reinvigorate themself. Brighton began to create more attacks as the half progressed, although it looked as though all of their attacking intent was to go to waste when Manchester United’s Naalsund won the ball off of the Brighton defence. The Red Devils’ high press looked to have forced Brighton into gifting United a third goal, however a slip from Naalsund caused her shot to fly over the bar from just a few yards from goal.

As the half neared its closing, a rocket of a shot from the edge of the 18 yard box from Manchester United’s Hannah Blundell was met by a strong hand from Baggaley to deny the away side their third of the evening. The Red Devils were to secure their third goal before the end of the half though, with an intricate one-two from Toone and Malard inside the box evading Brighton defenders’ attention. Malard’s coolly placed shot hit the left post, but Lucia Garcia tapped the ball home for United to secure the goal.

Manchester United opened the second half with strong intent to even further increase their lead, with Baggaley parrying away a shot from Malard to deny her a goal for the evening. Although it was not to be for Malard, Naalsund ensured her side extended their advantage in 59th minute as she neatly played the ball from one foot to the other, before bending her shot past Baggaley from the edge of the box, securing herself her first FA Cup goal.

As the match entered its final 15 minutes and heads from players and fans alike began to drop, Parris looked to earn herself a brace, as a superb, curling effort from the edge of the 18 yard box looked certain to evade Baggaley and secure the goal of the game. Baggaley had other ideas though, as she produced an incredible save, springing across her goal to tip the ball round the right post.

In the final 10 minutes of the match and throughout the 6 minutes of additional time, Brighton created attack after attack and came close to scoring. Unfortunately for the home side though, they couldn’t get the ball over the line to get a consolation from what had been a really difficult night for the Albion.

What’s next?

Following this exit from the FA Women’s Cup, the Seagulls will host title challengers Manchester City Women in the WSL on Sunday 17th March, 12:30 pm kick-off at Broadfield Stadium. Brighton currently sit in 9th in the WSL table with 14 points from 15 games.

Brighton XI: Baggaley, Thorisdottir, Bergsvand, Losada C, Sarri (Carabali), Bremer, Zigiotti, Terland, Kullberg (Haley), Pinto (Lee), Robinson

Man United XI: Earps, Le Tissier, Blundell, Toone, Malard (Evans), Zelem C, Riviere (Guerrero), Naalsund, Garcia, Turner, Parris (Williams)