After his side’s dramatic late penalty win over Manchester United, Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi said “there is a god of football”. De Zerbi felt his side had played better than United in both the FA Cup semi-final and the Premier League encounter at Amex Stadium, and that they deserved to win the semi-final but lost on penalties. Mac Allister’s penalty, awarded after a VAR review judged Shaw had handled, was the difference between the two sides.
De Zerbi praised his players for their performance, saying they had dominated the game and deserved to win. He also highlighted the importance of their upcoming six games, with the first being against Everton on Monday.
Manchester United defender Luke Shaw admitted his “silly mistake” cost his side a point, as they missed out on a chance to go seven points clear of Liverpool. He accepted responsibility for the penalty, but argued that the free-kick which led to it should never have been given.
The win boosts Brighton’s chances of qualifying for Europe next season, as they are now only four points adrift of fifth-placed Liverpool, who have played two games more.