Danny Welbeck says it’s no longer “weird” facing Manchester United as he spearheads Brighton’s attack in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.
Welbeck has scored four goals in four wins and seven defeats against United for Brighton, Arsenal and Watford since leaving the club he grew up supporting and represented in the first team for six years before joining Arsenal in September 2014.
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“I’ve played games against United multiple times now, and it’s now not as weird as it once was,” said Welbeck.
“It was worse when I went to Old Trafford. You go there into the away dressing room and you’re warming up on a different side of the pitch, and walking out on the other side.
“It’s just little weird things like that, because you’re so used to going to a certain place. And early on I was playing against players I’ve been with previously.”
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Welbeck returns to Wembley with Brighton on the sixth anniversary of making a difference as a substitute in a 2-1 win for Arsenal after extra time in the FA Cup semi-finals against Manchester City.
The 32-year-old former England forward went on to start the 2017 final, helping Arsenal to beat Chelsea by the same score line.
“I remember the day,” Welbeck said. “It was a great team performance and we were pretty much the underdogs going into that final. It was massive for the club and for the whole team to experience those moments. It gives you that hunger to do it again.”
Welbeck believes big game experience can play a part in Brighton reaching the final for the second time, after losing to United in a replay in 1983.
He said: “We have players who have won trophies and the latest one is Alexis (Mac Allister) who has won the World Cup (with Argentina).
“So, to have players like that in the team it’s always massive just to pass on – it might be something small but it might be key – advice and little things like that. It goes a long way.”
Welbeck will wear left-hand protection for a finger ligament injury sustained when he landed awkwardly in the second half of last Saturday’s 2-1 win at Chelsea.
He came off the bench at Stamford Bridge in place of the injured Evan Ferguson to head Brighton’s first-half equaliser, his third goal in eight games.
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(Photo: Getty Images)
