Manchester United vs Brentford Preview
By: Babatunde Ajibade (Manchester United correspondent) Twitter: ollyzjinx01 Instagram: sir_ajirowo01
After a long international break, Manchester United are back in Premier League action, facing Brentford at Old Trafford on Saturday. The break may have sparked rumors about Erik Ten Hag’s future, but he remains at the helm now. However, with the injury list continuing to grow and more players sidelined, the pressure is mounting. Fans are left questioning—can Ten Hag navigate these setbacks and deliver the results needed to save his job?
Interestingly, the manager some fans wanted out isn’t the one leaving. Instead, Sir Alex Ferguson is set to step down from his £2m-a-year ambassadorial role at the end of the season. Manchester United have reportedly terminated his position as part of broader cost-cutting measures since INEOS assumed football operations. Ferguson, who won 38 trophies during his legendary 27-year career as United’s manager, will remain a non-executive director after what’s described as an amicable discussion with United’s co-owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
The club’s leadership, including Sir Jim and Joel Glazer, have been notably silent on Ten Hag’s future, despite holding a marathon seven-hour executive meeting recently. With Thomas Tuchel taking over as England manager, it appears Ten Hag’s position at United is safe for now.
After a frustrating goalless draw against Aston Villa, United are desperate for a win this weekend. Currently sitting 14th in the table, they’ve struggled to find consistency, especially in games they’re expected to dominate. Still, there’s some positive news: Noussair Mazraoui has returned to training, and both Garnacho and Amad, who missed international duties, are back in the squad. Their return could provide a much-needed lift as the team looks to turn their fortunes around.
United must hit the ground running, especially considering Brentford’s recent fast starts. The Bees have scored inside the first 80 seconds in each of their last four matches. However, all of Brentford’s 10 Premier League points this season have come at home, and their away form has been poor—they’ve lost all three of their Premier League away games this season.
United’s goal drought continues to be a concern. Since thrashing Barnsley 7-0 in the EFL Cup, the Red Devils have failed to win any of their last five matches across all competitions. The last time they played Brentford, Scott McTominay’s late heroics secured a dramatic win. Ten Hag stressed in his pre-match press conference that his side needs to be sharper in the final third and find the back of the net more often.
While Old Trafford hasn’t seen much joy this season, history is on United’s side. They’ve won their last five home league games against Brentford, with a dominant aggregate score of 13-2. The Bees haven’t won at Old Trafford since 1937, and they’ll be hoping to avoid another away defeat after starting the season with three straight losses on the road. Should Brentford lose on Saturday, it will be their worst away start to a season since 1961-62.
Brentford manager Thomas Frank is on the verge of a personal milestone—his next defeat will be his 50th in the Premier League, more than any other manager since his debut in 2021. Meanwhile, Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo has been in fine form, with six goals in seven league games this season. One more goal or assist will make him the first Brentford player to hit 50 Premier League goal involvements, currently standing at 28 goals and 21 assists.
United faces a dangerous Brentford side that recently thrashed Wolves 5-3, and Frank’s men are looking to strike early. But with home-field advantage and some key players returning, Ten Hag’s team will hope to snap out of their slump and give their fans something to cheer about.
Manchester United’s record against Brentford:
| Games won: | 10 |
| Games drawn: | 3 |
| Games lost: | 6 |
Team News:
(As of today 19/10/2024)
Manchester United: Luke Shaw, Leny Yoro, Kobbie Mainoo, Mason Mount, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire and Tyrell Malacia remain unavailable. Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho might be available.
Brentford: Rico Henry, Josh Dasilva, Igor Thiago, Aaron Hickey, Gustavo Nunes, and Mathias Jensen are unavailable.
Prediction:
This will be a tough match for the Red Devils, but the stats are in their favor, so I predict a narrow win.
Manchester United 2-1 Brentford.
What do you think the scoreline will be? Share your predictions below!