Manchester United’s Premier League campaign ends with a trip to face Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday afternoon.
United bounced back from defeats to Crystal Palace and Arsenal by beating Newcastle United 3-2 in midweek.
That win brought the curtain down on United’s Old Trafford games for the season, but two more big games await on the road.
United are still pushing to secure European football and need a result on the final day against Brighton and Hove Albion.
The FA Cup then follows for United, taking on Manchester City in the FA Cup final for the second year in a row.
Erik ten Hag is looking to finish the season strongly as he waits to find out whether Ineos want to keep him on as United boss.
The Dutchman will be busy preparing to take on Brighton, but those plans have taken something of a surprising turn.
Brighton announce Roberto De Zerbi exit
Just 24 hours away from kick-off at the Amex Stadium, Brighton have made an unexpected announcement.
The Seagulls have confirmed that boss Roberto De Zerbi will be leaving the club after the clash with United.
De Zerbi is leaving by mutual consent with United’s visit his final game in charge.
The Italian suggested in April that he was happy at Brighton and have no plans to leave the club any time soon.
The situation has now changed though and De Zerbi will be leaving the South Coast imminently.
De Zerbi has called his time at Brighton ‘intense and challenging’, claiming that he will now take a break as he weighs up his future in management.
“I am very sad to be leaving Brighton, but I am very proud of what my players and staff have achieved with the support of everyone at the club and our amazing fans in the past two historical seasons,” said De Zerbi.
“We have agreed to end my time at Brighton so that the club and I can continue to work in the way that suits each of us best, following our own ideas and visions, as well as our work and human values. I have really enjoyed an intense and challenging two years working in the Premier League, not least competing in four major competitions this season. Leaving now provides me with time to take a break before deciding on my future plans,” he added.
Brighton have impressed under De Zerbi but their form has been hugely disappointing of late.
The midweek defeat to Chelsea now means that Brighton have won just five of their last 22 Premier League games.
De Zerbi’s reputation as an exciting manager remains in tact but it sounds like all parties have decided that change needs to happen.
Ineos surely paying attention
De Zerbi’s rather abrupt exit gives Brighton fans a chance to say goodbye, but also raises questions about his next move.
The former Shakhtar Donetsk man is bound to attract major interest and his departure won’t have gone unnoticed by Ineos.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team have taken control of football operations at United and are considering the future of Ten Hag.
A host of mangers have been linked with replacing Ten Hag at Old Trafford and De Zerbi is one of them.
Reports in March suggested that De Zerbi has real admirers inside United ahead of a potential managerial change.
It was claimed that United would face paying £12million to land De Zerbi but his Brighton exit will make a deal even more appealing.
There is another interesting note here as Ineos appointed Francesco Farioli as Nice boss last summer.
Farioli – who could now head to Ajax this summer – was a key part of De Zerbi’s coaching staff at both Benevento and Sassuolo.
Perhaps Ineos will fancy bringing De Zerbi to United having been impressed with his protege Farioli just a year ago – but with Barcelona and Bayern Munich back in the market for managers again, he surely won’t be short of interest.