Manchester United came off one of their strongest performances in 2024 to round off their final home game of the season, with Ten Hag producing a rousing end of year speech on the pitch and the lively fans giving several players a likely send off. There is still some of United’s season still to go however, as the club went to Brighton on the final day with an uncertain and unlikely European qualification to fight for, alongside the team trying to avoid breaking another unwanted record of the lowest Premier League finish and lowest Premier League points total.

There of course remains the FA Cup final on the horizon as their neighbours and rivals went into the weekend fighting for their 4th Premier League title in a row, it’s a real display of the shift in fortunes of recent seasons. United’s opponents for the final outing of the season were a tough and unpredictable opponent in Brighton, whose season has dropped off in 2024 with rumours surrounding their manager Roberto De Zerbi departing the club now confirmed as he looked to sign off his short but successful spell in style.

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Teams

Manchester United ended the campaign with an interesting 4-2-2-2 setup which may suggest a possible trial run for the FA Cup final against City. With Fernandes and McTominay listed as the 2 false-9s, Garnacho and Amad played the width while Mainoo and Amrabat held the fort. At the back, Casemiro was used at centre-back as United’s defence remain short on numbers.

On Brighton’s side of things, they signed off from De Zerbi with a strong XI with some potential future stars in the making, with a blend also of Welbeck leading the line against his former side. With potentially a big change coming at the club this summer, they will be keen to continue with their ability to forge gems within their setup.

Brighton: Steele, Barco (Lamptey 81′), Julio, Webster, Moder, Gross, Baleba (Gilmour 81′), Joao Pedro, Lallana (Enciso 57′), Adringra (Fati 81′), Welbeck

Subs: Verbruggen, Offiah, Baker-Boaitey, Peupion, Buonanotte

Manchester United: Onana, Dalot, Martinez (Evans 59′), Casemiro, Wan-Bissaka, Mainoo (Eriksen 75′), Amrabat (Varane 69′), Garnacho, Amad (Rashford 75′), Fernandes (Hojlund 60′), McTominay

Subs: Bayindir, Kambwala, Collyer, Antony

Brighton 0-2 Manchester United

Manchester United closed out their Premier League season with a 2–0 win at Brighton & Hove Albion, but it was hardly straightforward. The first half belonged to Brighton. The home side worked hard on the ball and created some decent openings, with João Pedro among those looked most likely to break the deadlock, only for his close-range effort to be denied, a timely intervention by Casemiro putting the ball off the line. Despite dominating territory and chances, Brighton failed to produce the all-important finish.

The second half saw a different tone. As Brighton’s energy waned slightly, United began to press more purposefully. In the 73rd minute a long ball from Casemiro caught out Brighton’s defence, the ball flicked off a defender, and Diogo Dalot raced on to slot home confidently and give United the lead. With time running down, substitute Rasmus Højlund sealed the win in the 88th minute. A neat exchange with Christian Eriksen saw Højlund drive into the box and calmly finish, handing United a somewhat fortunate but valuable victory.

For United, the victory offered a small boost, but little more. The win lifted them to 60 points, yet they still finished 8th, their lowest Premier League finish in the club’s history. For Brighton, who ended in 11th place, the game will surely leave some regret: they dominated much of the match but couldn’t convert their opportunities. At the final whistle, the gulf between performance and result was clear, United leave the south coast with three points and clean sheet, but not much more than a sigh of relief.

Talking Points

Manchester United closed out a disappointing Premier League campaign with a much-needed win on the south coast, beating Brighton 2–0 on the final day. It did little to mask the wider problems of a turbulent season, an eighth-place finish, inconsistency across the pitch, and an injury crisis that never seemed to end, but the victory at least allowed Erik ten Hag’s side to sign off the league campaign on a positive note. United were second-best for large stretches, yet showed the sharper edge when it mattered, a trait that has too often deserted them this year.

All eyes now turn to the FA Cup final, which represents United’s only chance to salvage something tangible from a bleak season. Cup competitions have occasionally brought out a different, more focused side of this team, and supporters will hope that Wembley offers a fresh stage to reset, regroup, and deliver a performance worthy of the badge. A trophy would not erase the frustration of the league campaign, but it would give the club a much-needed lift, and perhaps buy some breathing room as decisions about the future loom.

Crucially, the FA Cup also stands as United’s only route back into Europe. With their league finish leaving them outside all continental places, victory at Wembley would secure a Europa League spot and prevent the club from missing out on European competition entirely, something that would have financial, sporting, and reputational consequences. In that sense, the stakes could hardly be higher: the season may have been bruising, but one last push in the FA Cup could turn disappointment into something closer to redemption.