DIDN'T HE DO WEL

Welbeck has become the senior player and mentor he used to look up to at United

- JOHN CROSS

DANNY WELBECK has become the kind of father figure at Brighton that he used to crave at Manchester United. 

The 32-year-old is enjoying a renaissance on the south coast under Roberto De Zerbi and, while he once found it “weird” playing against United, he is hoping to knock them out of the FA Cup this weekend.

The Seagulls striker, who was part of two FA Cup-winning teams during his time at Arsenal, has played under both Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger and recognises something special in De Zerbi.

At Brighton Welbeck has taken younger players under his wing, tweeting a picture of himself towering over full-back Tariq Lamptey with a joke about rewarding him with a McDonald’s Happy Meal for a “great report at parents’ evening.”