Brown's side face the champions at the KC Stadium needing to win to guarantee their place in the Barclays Premier League for a second season.

It has been claimed the Tigers could gain an unfair advantage over their relegation rivals if United boss Sir Alex Ferguson chooses to rest players ahead of the Champions League final.

Yet Brown has dismissed those suggestions and is preparing his Tigers for a stern examination.

He said: "We have more or less second-guessed managers on a number of occasions.

"To know who the team is has been a strong point.

"So to not know who the team is could be a massive advantage for Manchester United.

"That is the most difficult part of the training of late.

"The tactical awareness of the players has been second to none, I haven't worked with a better group of players as far as tactics are concerned.

"But whatever team comes out of that changing room will be sufficient to play at this level.

"Whoever does come out will play in the same manner as Manchester United teams do. It doesn't matter who is playing, they have that kind of standard."

Hull sat third in the table after collecting 20 points from their opening nine games but they have taken just 15 from the 28 since.

Their nosedive towards relegation gathered pace with five successive defeats across April and May but it was arrested with a morale-boosting 1-1 draw at Bolton last week.

Hull were promoted after winning the Championship play-off final a year ago and their first-ever top-flight campaign has been an adventure they want to repeat.

"At the beginning of the season the excitement was there for everyone to see and for us to enjoy," said Brown, whose side are battling Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Sunderland to avoid the last two relegation slots.

"The season hasn't changed much where that is concerned, there has been something on every game.

"It's the progression and development of a club that has never been in the top flight."

Brown provoked a response from his players at Bolton after taking them away for a short retreat in the Lake District.

This weekend he intends to shield his squad from the glare of publicity once again.

He added: "We'll take the boys away and prepare for it, it's right to get away from the spotlight of the media attention and fans.

"We'll take them to a quiet hotel somewhere away from their families, switch the mobiles off and start focusing on four o'clock on Sunday."

One player central to Brown's plans is midfielder George Boateng, who has taken on the captaincy in the absence of the injured Ian Ashbee.

The 33-year-old Dutchman has sensed an improvement in spirits since the game at Bolton and hopes that can be reflected in the performance tomorrow.

Boateng said: "The point at Bolton has brought the belief back that we had earlier in the season, you can feel that.

"We haven't been busy with Newcastle, Middlesbrough or Sunderland.

"I just hope it is a great weekend and may the best team win and stay up.

"Overall we have done well. We are the promoted team and we have played good football.

"It is a shame we have had such a difficult period but this is the Premier League, it is challenging."

Boateng joined Hull from Middlesbrough last summer but has given no thoughts to whether his old club would still be in trouble had he not been released.

He said: "Coming here I knew it would be hard. I expected us to be in this situation from the start but I was up for it.

"They [Middlesbrough] have made decisions they will have to live with, but I have no grudge at all."