Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer agree on scrapping major FA Cup rule

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BBC pundits Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer both called for a change to the FA Cup rules during the semi-finals. Manchester United and Brighton battled out for a place in the final at Wembley, while Manchester City and Sheffield United were criticised for the lack of support in the nation’s capital on Saturday.

Since the new Wembley opened in 2007, the competition’s semi-finals along with the final have been played at the stadium. Previously, grounds such as Old Trafford and Villa Park had hosted meetings between the final four – with the prize a trip to Wembley’s hallowed turf.

However, as complaints grew over northerners forced to London in an expensive day for Manchester City and Sheffield United the question was posed once again over whether Wembley should be reserved for the final only.

Lineker raised the question and admitted that he thinks the rule should be changed. “The one thing I noticed there [during Manchester City vs Sheffield United] though was the amount of empty seats here at Wembley,” he said during the BBC’s coverage of United vs Brighton.

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“I think official attendance was just under 70,000 – it didn’t quite look like that, but that’s the bit that’s normally more empty than others. Is it perhaps time when you’ve got two northern teams to have a little bit of a rethink in sending everyone down for the semi-finals?”

Shearer then agreed with the host and believed that “common sense” should have seen City and Sheffield United play further north. “When you look at schedules that both teams have had, Man City have travelled everywhere and what Sheffield United are doing in terms of promotion, it’s pretty understandable,” he said. “I agree, for me it’s common sense to have maybe taken it up to a northern ground yesterday.”

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While former United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel was in agreement with his colleagues. “It’s a difficult one. It’s expensive – very, very expensive to attend a football match, and I think this is more expensive than normal,” he added.

“We’ve got inflation – high inflation – energy prices, people just can’t afford that. That’s maybe where you should go in and have a think about what’s important.”

Then ex-Brighton striker Glenn Murray added: “When you’re thinking about bringing a couple of kids and the family, it’s an expensive day out, isn’t it?”

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