Erik ten Hag must change his three-player Red Devils draft rule

Erik ten Hag will demand an answer from him when they face Brighton at Wembley later today. Easier said than done. For all the progress they've made this season, Manchester United's campaign is in danger of being remembered as much for its slew of humiliation as it is for the strides they've made.

The last of these was as damning as any of the previous ones. United wanted the narrative to carry on from their capitulation at Anfield as if it were a one-off, but even without a number of key players, there were no valid excuses to be made.

What will be interesting is whether or not Ten Hag sticks to the same selection rule that he did after the Liverpool loss, when he demanded that the same players go out and get an answer in the next game. The Dutchman did not make a single change in his line-up for the next game against Real Betis and received a resounding response with a 4-1 win.

While there is the argument that no player deserves to keep his place in the horror show in Seville, there is also the argument that those same people should be redeemed. It's a good thought, but it seems unlikely. Part of the reason Ten Hag named an unchanged team against Betis was due to the fact that it was a two-legged draw, so there was still some margin for error.

The challenge of beating Brighton

There is no such safety net at Wembley and if United are not up for the challenge from the start, they risk a second cup exit of the week. United remain strong favorites to finish in the top four this season given the chasing group's struggles, meaning today's game is arguably the biggest singles encounter they have left.