MUTV presenter and commentator Stewart Gardner reflects on United's final league game and looks forward to Wednesday's showdown with Barcelona in Rome...

From Hull City to the Eternal City... you could hardly get two more contrasting locations for two games of professional football.

United's team selection from one game to the next will also be very different - take Wes Brown and Gary Neville out of the equation and the average age of the eleven that lined up against Hull was just 21.

Last week, there was talk of the Reds being sued if they played a reserve team at the KC Stadium but no one is saying that now, after the youngsters did themselves proud. The Reds controlled the game and could have had more goals than Darron Gibson’s stunner.

To be honest though, Hull were abject. They have survived by default. Staying up with just 34 points and after a run of one win from 22 games is quite amazing really.

I must give special praise to Richie De Laet who had a fine debut for United. His story shows that footballing fairytales are possible. The 20 year-old Belgian joined United from Stoke in January – having never played a first-team game for the Potters. His only senior football this season had been three games on loan at Wrexham. And yet he ended the league campaign playing for the Champions!

I spoke to Ritchie after the match and he told me a great story. When Sir Alex announced the team he said Richard was in the starting lineup but De Laet presumed he meant the other Richard in the squad, Eckersley. It was only when the Reds arrived at the KC Stadium ground that Ritchie realised he was the one with a place in the starting lineup! He had