Dale Stephens feels hard done by.

Not because he has missed out on individual awards during his four-and-a-half years with Albion, although his influence is too easily under-estimated.

Stephens thinks the Seagulls' Premier League status next season should already be assured.

Instead of still looking over their shoulders, requiring a win against Manchester United at the Amex tonight to remove lingering doubts.

Albion have lost three and drawn three since Arsenal were defeated in March, the first points for Chris Hughton's (below) side against one of the Big Six.

The Argus: The sequence includes a couple of wasteful results at home, beaten by Leicester and held by Huddersfield.

Form at the Amex has, however, been generally sound, including the stalemate last time out against Spurs.

That, together with running United close twice at Old Trafford this season in the League in November and the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in March, has encouraged Stephens to believe Albion can finally get over the line.

"It's obviously a big game for us, the sort of fixture you look out for at the start of the season," he said.

"Because we played very well against them in both away games, we are going into the game full of confidence that we can finish the job.

"I'm happy that we are playing at home. Generally we have played very well at home throughout the season.

"It's in our own hands. When we look over the course of the season, we probably feel hard done by that we are not out of it already.

"I think we've been unlucky more times that we have been fortunate to get results. Personally, I think we should be out of it, but we're not. We have still got three games left to get another couple of points."

United's noisy neighbours, Albion's hosts next Wednesday, will be presented with the Premier League trophy at the Etihad on Sunday against Huddersfield, who remain in peril. The landscape used to be different in Stephens' native Bolton.

He said: "When I was growing up, Man City wasn't the club it is today and they (United) just dominated football. It's a good game to look forward to, one you want to play in.

"It's a giant of a football club, the biggest probably in the country and Europe as well, especially where I'm from. There are a lot of Man United fans in the town I live in.

"It's a special game for me personally, with what is riding on it as well. I've always been a Bolton fan, like the majority of my family, but a lot of friends from school are Man United fans. They are a global club with mans fans across the world, which shows the task we face.

"They are a top team full of top players still. They are second only to Man City, who everyone is describing as a special team and rightly so.

"They've got a manager who loves to win games and whether they are playing badly or having a good run of form, they are still picking up results. That's what good teams do.

"The top four, five or six teams are probably in a league of their own in terms of squads and the spending power. We know what category we are in and we are in a fair position for the club that we are. We would have taken it at the start of the season."

One of the key battles tonight will be in Stephens' area of expertise in the engine room, where he will be accompanied either by Beram Kayal or Davy Propper on his return from suspension - "the manager is going to have a tough choice".

The Argus: Paul Pogba's inconsistent campaign (above) has mirrored United's away form. On the one hand beaten by the other promoted teams, Huddersfield and Newcastle, on the other fresh from a hat-trick of wins at Bournemouth, City and Crystal Palace.

Stephens said: "People talk about the price tag, but he (Pogba) is one of the best players in this division and in Europe as well. His performances are always going to be under scrutiny, because of the type of character he is I suppose.

"He is still young. There is no doubting his ability. I am sure he will prove that in the coming years for Man United."

As for Stephens, ever the team player, he is not bothered about personal accolades, although he admits to satisfaction at finishing second among his team-mates only to Lewis Dunk in this season's new Players' Player award.

"I don't mind that," Stephens said. "I think he's had a fantastic year and thoroughly deserves the award. To be recognised by your team-mates is a special one, the award that probably most players want to win at their club, so I'm proud that I was runner-up to Dunky."

It will be a proud night for Albion too if they can avenge Dunk's unfortunately decisive own goal in the first meeting at Old Trafford six months ago.