Phil Brown wary of weakened Manchester United
19 May 2009 - 19:59:28
Hull City v Manchester UnitedKick-off: Sun May 24, 4.00pm, KC Stadium, HullTV: Sky Sports 3, Sky Sports HD3Radio: BBC Radio Five Live
Brown's team need to secure a better result than third-bottom Newcastle this weekend to avoid relegation from the Premier League after a solitary season of top-flight football and the Tigers are expected to face a severely weakened United side.
Related ArticlesWhy Tevez is leaving UnitedBerbatov battles with nervesMan Utd: Your ratingsSport on TV: The week aheadPremier League highlightsTelegraph player raterFerguson's side have already won the Premier league title and are due to play in the Champions League final against Barcelona in Rome three days after the visit to Hull which is likely to see many seniors players rested.
But Brown is adamant that Ferguson will field a side that will make life difficult for the East Yorkshire club even if it is a mixture of youngsters and peripheral players.
"It doesn't matter what side Sir Alex puts out," Brown said. "It could be first, second or even third-choice and the players will give a good account of themselves because they are playing for Manchester United and they are representing one of the top clubs in the world.
"It's not going to be easy. There's no doubt about that. We have just got to maintain that level of performance that we produced last Saturday and try to bring that to the table as well as the drive, energy and determination to stay in this Premier League.
"If we can do that then that is as much as we possibly can do and hopefully it won't be a party atmosphere for Manchester United it will be a party atmosphere for Hull City." Hull burst out of the blocks in their maiden season of top-flight football but have been in freefall of late with their rapid descent only arrested last weekend with a 1-1 draw at Bolton that meant Newcastle replaced Brown's side in the relegation zone.
"To start off the season and get 20 points from nine games was always going to make the end of the season easier," Brown added. "However, there are no guarantees and we went on the run that we have been on.
"But then you were just looking for that spark and that look in the players ' eyes that the confidence levels were back and that they were still up for the fight and that came back last Saturday. We need it one more time.
"Would I have taken this at the start of the season? I think the answer would have been yes. Will I take it now? It's my hand now. I can't do anything else with it. I have been dealt this hand and I've got to get on with it."
