WEBSTER HAS BRIGHT VISION

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IT IS an intriguing thought. If Brighton can maintain their rich run of form, could this be the greatest season in their 123-year history?

The Seagulls lie seventh in the Premier League, are in the last 16 of the Europa League and this thumping win took them into the FA Cup fifth round.

They have never won a major trophy and the mental scars of last season’s FA Cup semi-final penalty shoot-out defeat to Manchester United have yet to fully heal.

But only a fool would turn his back on Roberto De Zerbi’s men right now. There is too much energy, and too much drive, pumping through the veins of a club who continue to rise.

Brighton defender Adam Webster said: “Last season’s FA Cup semi-final defeat still hurts us now because we felt we should have won. Now we want to get back to Wembley and that’s our motivation because we want to win a trophy.

“It was such a special day last season, even though we lost, so we want to go a step further now.

“We’re still in the FA Cup, we’ve had our first year in the Europa League and won the group, so we’ve got that to look forward to as well. Hopefully we can really kick on in this second part of the season and finish strongly in the Premier League too.

“We can definitely improve there, although it’s very tight. But if we can have a good second half to the season, like we did last year, then we’ll be right up there again.”

Going all the way in the FA Cup or the Europa League will take some doing but the strength the Seagulls displayed at Bramall Lane bodes well for the months ahead. Facundo

Buonanotte, 19, hit a brilliant opener and Joao Pedro added a penalty before the Blades fashioned an impressive response.

Gustavo Hamer fired home and Will Osula headed in an equaliser to make it 2-2 at the break.

But Albion increased the tempo in the second half.

Pedro’s second penalty and superb 20-yard strike (above) gave him the match ball and took him to 18 goals for the campaign before sub Danny Welbeck rifled home a late fifth.

It was a baptism of fire for Ivo Grbic in the Blades goal. But after shipping five goals on his debut he was told: You’re now my firstchoice goalkeeper.

The Croatia international, 28, arrived from Atletico Madrid last week and has dislodged Wes Foderingham.

Blades boss Chris Wilder said: “Ivo’s going to be our goalkeeper for the foreseeable – it’s a permanent deal.

“The boy wanted to come and he’s got a good pedigree.

“He had a lot of travelling last week and not a lot of training time with us.”