Hughton: Cup Tie Doesn't Come Any Tougher

Brighton & Hove Albion manager Chris Hughton admitted the club’s Emirates FA Cup quarter-final draw could have been kinder, but highlighted his team’s positive performance at Old Trafford earlier this season.

The Seagulls drew Manchester United in the last eight of the competition, with the match taking place in the north west on Saturday 17th March, and Hughton commented on his team’s intimidating tie.

He said, “They don’t come any tougher than that. When the first two came out and then Manchester United came out as a home tie, I half expected us to come out as well.

“As soon as that draw was made, the initial disappointment that you haven't got a home tie soon settles down and it’s then about realising we’re still in the FA Cup.

“We’re going to an arena that saw one of our best away performances of the season, certainly against one of the bigger teams. But could the draw have been kinder to us? Of course it could have.”

In one of the other quarter-final ties, Albion goalkeeper Christian Walton will come up against Southampton for Wigan Athletic, after the Latics pulled off a shock victory against Manchester City in the fifth round.

Walton has been on loan at the DW Stadium this season, helping Paul Cook’s team in their quest to win promotion to the Sky Bet Championship, and Hughton has been pleased with the 22-year-old’s temporary move.

“It’s worked out a very good loan period for him. He went out on loan to Plymouth before and then to Bury, but it didn’t go so well there.

“But in some ways, that really helped with his future loans, because then onwards they’ve just got better and better.

“He’s playing at a very good level now. After a small injury that kept him out for a few weeks, he went back and went straight into the team.

“I’m really pleased for him and it’s great for his development. The pleasing factor for him is they avoided drawing us, because that would have ruled him out of playing in an FA Cup quarter-final.”