Thursday 3 May 2018 17:24, UK
Chris Hughton says Brighton must go into the final three games of their debut Premier League campaign focused on their own performances and not rely on other teams.
Brighton host Manchester United on Friday, live on Sky Sports Premier League, at the Amex Stadium and know a victory in the "high profile" fixture would secure their status in the top flight for another year.
The Seagulls are without a win in their last seven games in all competitions but have picked up two points from their last two league fixtures to inch closer to safety, ahead of a testing run-in which includes matches against Jose Mourinho's side, a trip to face the champions Manchester City and a visit to Liverpool.
What it does is put the emphasis on us and we have an opportunity on Friday to do ourselves a big favour
Despite sitting in 14th position in the table, Brighton are at risk of a late switch in fortunes with Southampton, Stoke and West Brom all still fighting against the drop and Hughton has admitted he has looked at the possible permutations in the final two weeks of the campaign.
"You look at them and who the others are playing, and the league table, but you are also very conscious that ultimately it doesn't make any difference," said Hughton.
"You can look and think all you want, but there isn't anybody who can tell me what the results are going to be. I certainly don't know.
"What it does is put the emphasis on us and we have an opportunity on Friday to do ourselves a big favour. If that's not the case, then, of course, it is [about] the next game."
Brighton were unfortunate to fall to a 1-0 defeat, through an own goal by captain Lewis Dunk, in the reverse league fixture against United at Old Trafford in November and suffered a 2-0 defeat to the same team in the FA Cup quarter-finals - performances which provide reason for optimism in Hughton's mind.
"The next game is a big one for the club, a high-profile game for the club and if we can perform, certainly as well as we did up at Old Trafford, in the FA Cup game and in the league, and against Tottenham and Arsenal then it will give ourselves a chance.
"We have been in a similar position for a while now and we have had opportunities - mostly the home games where our performances should have got us more out of the game but it didn't and, of course, you have got to make it up and get points.
"But we are on the back of a couple of decent points away to Burnley and at home to Tottenham but what it has done is keep everyone on their toes and our attitude has to be 'we will still need points to stay up'."
