Albion will face a stronger Crystal Palace side in the play-offs than the one they beat in March.

That is the warning from Eagles boss Ian Holloway after his side secured fifth place.

Palace host Gus Poyet’s men in the play-off semi-final first leg at Selhurst Park on Friday.

The Seagulls won the last meeting between the sides 3-0 at The Amex early in a nine-match winless run for Holloway’s men.

They ended that sequence with a 3-2 defeat of Peterborough on Saturday and are now unbeaten in four matches.

Holloway said of his players: “The last six weeks have been a living, breathing nightmare but they have come through it and I think they will be stronger for it.

“We have got a play-off. I am totally utterly focussed on that. I’m not celebrating.

“Now we have got to get to work and make sure we can up with a plan that stops their attacking football, stop them winning and win one of the two games if we can.”