Manchester United will avoid the trap Sir Alex Ferguson fell into ahead of a final

There were innumerable positives for Manchester United on Wednesday night and their victory means there is something to play for at Brighton on Sunday.

United can qualify for the Europa Conference League if they beat Brighton and Newcastle fail to win away to Brentford, unbeaten at home since February 17.

Brighton have won their past four Premier League games against United, who have never won at the Amex Stadium with a crowd present. Brighton have won four of their six home games against United since they were promoted in 2017.

Few would have thought Brighton's season would peak with their dismantling of United back in September. They did a number on United that day but Brighton's own numbers are unflattering: 12 league wins all season, 13 defeats and 60 goals conceded. Brighton could mathematically end as low as 13th on Sunday evening.

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Brighton have won four of their 15 games against the top eight and Sunday could mark Roberto de Zerbi's swansong. Brighton are not the sure thing they were eight months ago.

Erik ten Hag seldom selects weakened teams and there are bound to be minimal changes this weekend. Lisandro Martinez and Marcus Rashford need starts, Alejandro Garnacho requires a breather and Casemiro, starter in the past nine matches, could be preserved ahead of his last dance in elite football in the FA Cup final.

Whether it was rest, rotation or a demotion, it did the job with matchwinner Rasmus Hojlund against Newcastle and a recall is in order. Beyond those three, any other tactical or rotational alterations are unforeseeable. Raphael Varane