Both sides sit in the bottom half of the table. United are 11th with seven points, while Brentford trail them by three points in 17th place after five games. It’s been a tough start for new Brentford boss Keith Andrews, who has collected just four points from his opening six matches. His side slipped to a third league defeat last weekend, losing 3-1 to West London rivals Fulham.
That game had started positively, with Mikkel Damsgaard scoring on his return to the starting lineup, but Fulham turned things around to leave the Bees hovering just one point above the relegation zone.
Defensively, Brentford have looked shaky. They’ve already conceded 10 goals in their first five games, their worst record at this stage of a season since 2003-04 in the third tier. They’ve also been vulnerable after taking the lead, dropping eight points from winning positions this season.
In fact, they’ve scored first in four matches but only managed to win once. Historically, only Newcastle in 1999-00 and Fulham in 2007-08 have dropped more points from leading positions in the first five games of a campaign.
Andrews knows tougher challenges are coming, with fixtures against Manchester City, Liverpool and Newcastle on the horizon. Still, Brentford will take confidence from their recent record at home against United, winning two of the last three league meetings at the Gtech and losing just one of their last six matches on their own ground.
For Manchester United, last weekend’s 2-1 win over Chelsea was a much-needed boost. Ruben Amorim’s side capitalised on Robert Sanchez’s early red card to grind out a result in heavy rain at Old Trafford. The win eased the pressure on Amorim after United’s worst start to a Premier League season since 1992-93.
Even so, the mood around Old Trafford remains uneasy. Despite climbing level on points with Manchester City and ahead of European qualifiers Newcastle, Forest and Villa, United still have plenty to prove.
The numbers suggest some progress, though: they’ve had more shots than any other side this season (81), while Brentford have had the fewest (41). United are also averaging over 16 shots per match, up from under 14 last season, and their expected goals figure has risen from 1.33 to 2.03 per game.
Goals haven’t been hard to come by against Brentford either. United have scored in 11 of the last 13 meetings across all competitions. The problem is away form: they haven’t won on the road in their last seven league games, a run stretching back to March. They’ve also lost 15 of their last 24 trips to London. Their most recent visit to Brentford ended in a 4-3 defeat in May, and history suggests they’ll want to avoid losing consecutive matches to the Bees for the first time since the 1930s.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Brentford could be boosted by the return of Gustavo Nunes and Paris Maghoma, who are both recovering from hamstring injuries and will be assessed before kickoff. Whether either makes the matchday squad remains uncertain.With Manchester United expected to line up with three at the back, Keith Andrews must decide whether to stick with his usual 3-5-2 or switch to a back four. Jordan Henderson has impressed recently and may partner 21-year-old Yehor Yarmolyuk in midfield, while Kevin Schade, who scored twice in Brentford’s thrilling 4-3 win over United last season, should keep his place up front alongside Igor Thiago.
For United, Casemiro is suspended following his red card against Chelsea, and Lisandro Martinez remains sidelined with the knee injury that has kept him out since February. Diogo Dalot faces a late fitness test after missing two matches with a muscle issue. If he does not make it, either Noussair Mazraoui or Amad Diallo is expected to fill in at right wing-back.
Ruben Amorim may be tempted to give new signing Senne Lammens his Premier League debut in goal, though Altay Bayindir is likely to keep his spot. At centre-back, Leny Yoro is pushing for a recall, which could mean Harry Maguire drops to the bench.
In midfield, Manuel Ugarte is the obvious choice to step in for Casemiro alongside captain Bruno Fernandes. Further forward, Matheus Cunha is pressing for a start, while Benjamin Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo, set to face his old club for the first time since his £71m move to Old Trafford, should lead the attack.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Brentford possible starting lineup:Kelleher; Van den Berg, Collins, Pinnock; Kayode, Henderson, Yarmoliuk, Lewis-Potter; Damsgaard; Schade, Thiago
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Bayindir; Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw; Mazraoui, Ugarte, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mbeumo, Cunha; Sesko
EXPERT PREDICTION
Brentford 2-4 Manchester United
Given Brentford’s strong record at home, United’s seven-match winless run away from Old Trafford, and how evenly matched the two sides appear at the moment, a draw in West London looks the most likely outcome.
