Which Brighton will show-up against Manchester United for Europe decider?
Ian Hart on Brighton’s final day showdown with Manchester United
Remember the ‘Hurzeler Hokey Cokey’ between January and February?
Five league games without a win, including a virtual surrender at home to Crystal Palace in the ‘derby’ and an ignominious Saturday night exit to Liverpool in the FA Cup.
It saw apparent swathes of Albion, myself included, questioning whether our German manager had a long term future at the club.
Harold Wilson territory once again. Politics or football, a week can be a long time, so a month can seem like a lifetime. Six leagues wins in eight, with only defeat to Champions elect Arsenal and a thrilling draw at relegation threatened Spurs, then saw the Albion shoot up the League.
Fab signed a contract extension and an exciting end to the campaign was firmly back on the agenda. I have to be perfectly honest, and don’t forget my initial reaction in the wake of the Palace defeat on 8 February ended up being played out on White and Jordan on Talksport the following day!
Had they offered me on that day that Brighton would go in to the final EPL game, Manchester United at home this Sunday 4pm kick off, with the chance of European qualification I would have snapped more than one hand off.
But Europe it is. Even with the curse of the commentator at Leeds on Sunday, with my granddaughters second birthday party in the morning, I naturally never made it to Yorkshire.
But watching the game on Sky at Chez Hart with the Commander in Chief, as soon as the man on the TV said on 92 mins, “Well Brighton are now all but assured of qualification to Europe”... every Albion man, woman and dog knew Leeds would then score.
A few days on the debate rages. Should Bart, after Van Hecke’s ‘hospital ball’, have taken Calvert-Lewin out and taken the straight red for the team?
Difficult one, there’s both pros and cons to the argument. But as they constantly say on the Island of Love, it is was it is. Now all eyes are on the Amex in Sunday.
Which Brighton will turn up?
It’s not rocket science, and you don’t need to be Kelly Cates to know that ultimately it’s going to come down to two factors. Which Brighton and Albion turn up and which Manchester United turn up?
If we get Palace deja vu, then the only way Brighton will get in Europe next season is of Tony Bloom writes a song.
But if we turn in a similar performance from of the home games against City, Liverpool and Chelsea respectively then the dream will still be very much alive.
There are clearly other factors elsewhere. What Chelsea will turn up at Sunderland, will Forest be ‘on the beach’ when Bournemouth arrive at the City Ground?
That said, it’s still very much in our hands just like it was at Hereford all those years ago.
There was a lot at stake that day back in 1997, in fact potentially our very existence. But could anyone have dreamed that less than 30 years later we’d need to beat Manchester United to qualify for Europe for the second time!
One thing is for certain, if the Amex has one of its unique atmospheres - like when Potter returned with Chelsea or Marseille in the last Europa League group game - then, cliche alert, the Albion will truly have the ultimate 12th man!
Bring it on.