Wout Weghorst pressed the ball to his lips and gave Brighton’s FA Cup dream the kiss of death.
No sooner had Weghorst handed it to Solly March than the Brighton player was sending his penalty flying high over the bar to hand Manchester United the advantage in the shootout and the chance of victory in a hard-fought semi-final.
Moments later, Victor Lindelof stepped up to the spot to secure United’s place in the Cup final against Manchester City back here at Wembley in June.
As the rest of his team-mates celebrated in the other half of the pitch, Weghorst sprinted downfield and slid on his knees in front of the United fans behind the same goal where he had savoured the club’s Carabao Cup win two months earlier.
While United’s win on that occasion was all but sealed by two goals before half-time, this one was in the balance right to the end against a brave Brighton side who can count themselves unlucky not to be looking ahead to a first FA Cup final since losing to United exactly 40 years ago in 1983.
Wout Weghorst celebrates Manchester United’s penalty shoot-out win over Brighton
United’s Dutch target man (left) kisses the ball before handing it over to Solly March (right)
March (blue white top) blazes his penalty over the bar of Man United goalkeeper David de Gea (yellow top)
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United’s stars burst from the halfway line to celebrate as Victor Lindelof’s decisive penalty finds the back of the net on Sunday to take them to the FA Cup final
Manchester City made light work of Sheffield United to keep their Treble bid on course
So United will have their say.
Regardless of whether Arsenal can beat City to the Premier League title and Real Madrid can stop them reaching the Champions League final against either Inter or AC Milan, United will have their day.
The opportunity to stop City from emulating arguably their proudest achievement when Sir Alex Ferguson’s side won an unprecedented Treble in 1999.
Even if City have already retained the title by the time the two teams walk out at Wembley in June, and even if they have beaten Real to reach the European Cup final where they would undoubtedly be favourites, United will have the chance to derail their rivals’ Treble hopes.
There will be shades of 1977 when United faced champions Liverpool at Wembley in the Cup final knowing their opponents were heading to Rome four days later to play Borussia Monchengladbach in a European Cup final they eventually won 3-1.
At Wembley, Jimmy Case cancelled out Stuart Pearson’s opener but United edged it when Lou Macari’s shot deflected off team-mate Jimmy Greenhoff.
There was no Treble for Liverpool and United went on to become the first – and only – English club to win the hat-trick of league title, FA Cup and European Cup 22 years later.
There are those of a United persuasion who may even feel that Brighton had a better chance of beating Pep Guardiola’s side in the final.
Jimmy Greenhoff (left), pictured with brother Brian (right), scored United’s winner in 1977
United manager Tommy Docherty helps parade the trophy after their win over Liverpool
Others may be of the opinion that it would be rubbing salt into the wounds for City to beat United in the Cup final en route to winning a Treble.
But the majority will just be grateful that United have destiny in their own hands.
Regardless of what happens in the Premier League and Champions League – and it would still be a magnificent achievement for City to do the Double – United can deny them the last piece of the jigsaw.
In doing so, they would also complete a Double of their own by adding the FA Cup to the Carabao Cup. It’s a feat achieved by both Liverpool and City in recent seasons, but one that would provide a silver lining to Ten Hag’s first season in charge.
A top-four finish and a trophy was the broad target for the Dutchman.
He delivered the Carabao Cup in February, and Tottenham’s 6-1 defeat at Newcastle on Sunday means it would take a calamitous collapse for United not to qualify for the Champions League now. They go to Spurs on Thursday with a six-point lead and two games in hand.
Sir Alex Ferguson and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer pose alongside United’s three trophies in 1999
United won the 1999 Treble in the most dramatic fashion after their comeback in Barcelona
Two domestic trophies and a top four finish would represent a great first season for Ten Hag
Aston Villa, Sunday’s visitors to Old Trafford, aren’t too far behind Tottenham, but United could effectively have a top-four place in the bag by this time next week.
It would give Ten Hag breathing space to rotate his squad and rest a few players over the remaining weeks of the season, particularly now United are out of the Europa League.
Only one game would really matter. The FA Cup final on June 3. Manchester United versus Manchester City. The Treble could be at stake. And, if so, United will relish the chance to throw a spanner in the works.