Brighton Hove & Albion vs Grimsby Town Prediction 19.03.2023 FA Cup

• Competition: England - FA Cup, Semi-final
• Date: Sunday, 19th, March 2023
• Kickoff: 14:15 UK / 15.15 CET
• Venue: Amex Stadium (Brighton)

Brighton, who in addition to chasing the positions that bring the European autumn of the next competition season, will also try to at least repeat the long-ago 1982/83 campaign in the FA Cup when they played the last and only time in the final of that competition, which unfortunately lost to Manchester United. The Seagulls reached this stage of the oldest football competition in England and the world this season by eliminating first Middlesbrough (5-1) and then the defending champions Liverpool with a routine 3-0, while securing a place in the top 16 with a victory over Stoke (1-0).

If Brighton are a hit in the Premier League, then Grimsby are in The Football Association Challenge Cup. The team that competes in League Two, the fourth tier of English football, brought a big celebration to its fans in early March, as they eliminated the Premier League side Southampton (2-1) from further competition and thus reserved a place among the top eight. The Mariners, with that victory, reached that far in the FA Cup for the first time since 1939, when they played in the semi-finals.

Brighton vs Grimsby Betting Tips: AH1 (-2)

The last clashes of these rivals date back to the 2003/04 season when both competed in League One (third tier). By the way, Grimsby does not remember the last visit to "Falmer Stadium" for good, since The Seagulls smashed them with a convincing 3-0. It is increasingly certain that the same fate awaits them in the Sunday's clash.

It didn't take much time for Roberto De Zerbi to find a winning formula for his team. Indeed, The Seagulls are flying high since the beginning of the new calendar year, which is best witnessed by only one defeat suffered from a total of 12 competitive games, so it is no wonder that they joined the fight for the international stage.

They are almost perfect on their home turf. Only Mitrovic's Fulham managed to inflict defeat on them in 2023, while they solved the other five challenges in their favor. At the same time, they save their net intact in four of those five triumphs. Well, apart from chasing the European autumn, they have an open path to the FA Cup final.

Grimsby is not shining this season in League Two, but the most important thing is that they do not have to worry about the fight for survival, since they have built a healthy difference in relation to themselves and the relegation zone - 16 points. Therefore, the fourth division team will be fully focused for their biggest challenge of the season.

The Mariners, who want to continue their fairy-tale story in the FA Cup, managed to warm up well and make a decent overture before Saturday's clash with consecutive victories over Rochdale and Sutton - both by minimum 1-0. However, eliminating another Premier League side is hardly feasible, even in the wildest dreams.

Even if Roberto De Zerbi opts for a few rotations in the starting XI, Brighton should justify the title of favorites and end Grimsby's FA Cup dreams. It is redundant to talk about the difference in quality between these teams. We are of the opinion that The Seagulls will dominate from the start and secure a big win in this one.