Manchester United will give everything they have to dent Manchester City’s hopes of completing the Treble when the two sides meet in the FA Cup final, according to Erik ten Hag.
United defeated Brighton & Hove Albion on penalties after a tight goalless draw at Wembley to progress to June’s showpiece, which will be the first all-Manchester final in the competition's 151-year history.
Solly March’s missed spot-kick for Roberto De Zerbi’s team allowed Victor Lindelof to seal United’s place in a second domestic cup final this term following their League Cup win in February.
Pep Guardiola’s team can claim the Treble if they win all their remaining Premier League matches, beat Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals and overcome one of AC Milan or Inter in the final and defeat United back at Wembley.
United are the only English team to have achieved a League, FA Cup and Champions League treble, under Sir Alex Ferguson in 1999, and Ten Hag said fans can have no doubt his side will throw everything at their great rivals to keep it that way.
“I understand, of course, the feelings from the Man United fans about it,” said Ten Hag. “We will do everything to give them that, to give them the second trophy; everything what I have, everything the team have, the staff have.
“We will give everything to get it done. We can do it because we prove it. It’s not easy though, it’s a great team, but we also have a great team and great players. We can beat them.
“We will give everything and when I say everything, that is everything, more than 100 per cent you can’t do. So the fans can rely on that – that we will give it and do it against every opponent. But of course we want to give that against City, we want to give the fans that, for sure.”
It will be a unique final on June 3. United triumphed over City 2-1 at Old Trafford when the sides met in the league in January but Guardiola’s team won convincingly at the Etihad 6-2 in October.
“We are proof, proof that we could beat them but then we have to play the perfect game,” he said. “I think that was the perfect game we played this season but we have to go again.
“We know that but first of all we have to focus on different occasions, different games to be in the top four to get into the Champions League next season. It’s not for me, it’s not about that. I want to win every game, doesn’t matter who is the opponent.”
United emerged from a semi-final which Brighton dominated and had the better chances — only David De Gea and some wayward finishes prevented the south coast club from a memorable result.
“Brighton, I have to give them a lot of credit, it’s a great team, really good philosophy of football and that made it a great game for the neutral fan,” Ten Hag added. “For all the fans in the stadium, I think it was a great game to watch.”
De Zerbi: 'We deserved to win'
De Zerbi, the Brighton manager, felt his side deserved victory against United and a first FA Cup final appearance since 1983. Their focus now turns to trying to secure their highest-ever top-flight finish and a first season in Europe.
“I think we deserved to win, because we played better and had more chances to score,” said De Zerbi. “We suffered in the middle of the second half, but for the other part of the game we commanded the play.
“They [the players] are focused only on our target in the Premier League. We are playing well, we deserve to reach our target of Europe, but football can be cruel.”
