Manchester United is aiming to break a five-match winless streak when they host Brentford at Old Trafford for a Premier League clash on Saturday afternoon.
This matchup marks their first encounter since March, when they played to a thrilling 1-1 draw at the Gtech Community Stadium, with Mason Mount scoring in the 96th minute only to see Kristoffer Ajer equalize in the 99th minute.
Manager Erik ten Hag is still at the helm despite overseeing the club's worst-ever start to a Premier League season, having managed just eight points and two wins in their first seven matches.
The club has chosen to remain tight-lipped about Ten Hag’s future following a lengthy seven-hour executive meeting in London, attended by key figures like Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Joel Glazer.
The pressure is certainly on Ten Hag, as United currently sits 14th in the Premier League—closer to the relegation zone than the top four—and trailing league leaders Liverpool by 10 points.
Since their impressive 7-0 victory over Barnsley in the EFL Cup in mid-September, United has struggled, failing to win any of their last five matches across all competitions. This includes four draws, one of which was a goalless stalemate against Aston Villa before the international break.
While the season has been challenging at Old Trafford, there is reason for hope as they prepare to face Brentford. United has won their last five home league games against Brentford by a combined score of 13-2, and they haven't lost at home to the Bees since 1937.
Brentford has made a habit of starting strong in the Premier League, scoring the opening goal within the first 80 seconds in each of their last four matches.
Although they couldn't secure wins against Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, or West Ham United after netting the opener, they did manage an exciting 5-3 victory at home against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers right before the international break.
All 10 of Brentford’s points this season have come at home, placing them 11th in the table two points ahead of Manchester United, their opponents on Saturday, and just three points shy of the top four.
However, Brentford has faced challenges on the road, losing all three of their away matches this season against tough competition: Liverpool, Man City, and Spurs.
They’ll be aiming to avoid losing their first four away games for the first time since the 1961-62 season, when they lost their first nine as a third-tier club.
Historically, Brentford has struggled against Manchester United, winning only one of their last 10 meetings in all competitions, with seven losses and 24 goals conceded. Still, Frank’s confident team will be looking to take advantage of United’s current struggles.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Manchester United will be without Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire for "a few weeks" due to muscle injuries. Leny Yoro and Tyrell Malacia are also out as they recover from foot and knee issues, respectively.
Manuel Ugarte returned to training on Thursday after limping off with an unspecified injury while on international duty with Uruguay. He, along with the injury-prone Luke Shaw (calf) and Mason Mount (knock), will be assessed before the match.
On a positive note, Noussair Mazraoui is back in training after surgery for heart palpitations, and Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo are also fit to play, which could see them involved this weekend.
Reports suggest that Ten Hag might consider using Jonny Evans at left-back, moving Diogo Dalot to the right side of the defense, while Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez could be brought back into the starting lineup at center-back.
For Brentford, they continue to deal with injuries to Rico Henry, Josh Dasilva, Igor Thiago (all knee issues), Aaron Hickey (thigh), and Gustavo Nunes (back). Mathias Jensen (calf) will also miss Saturday's match.
However, Frank has indicated that a late decision will be made on Yoane Wissa, who has returned to training after sitting out the last four games with an ankle injury. Mikkel Damsgaard (knock) and Christian Norgaard (muscle) will also be evaluated, as they were unable to play for Denmark during the international break.
Frank may opt for a three-at-the-back formation against Manchester United, featuring Sepp van den Berg, Ethan Pinnock, and Nathan Collins in central defense, with Kristoffer Ajer and Keane Lewis-Potter as wing-backs.
Bryan Mbeumo is Brentford's top scorer this season, netting six goals in seven Premier League games, including three in his last three outings. He is likely to lead the attack alongside either Yoane Wissa, Kevin Schade, or Fabio Carvalho.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Onana; Dalot, De Ligt, Martinez, Evans; Eriksen, Casemiro; Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford; Zirkzee
Brentford possible starting lineup:
Flekken; Van den Berg, Collins, Pinnock; Ajer, Damsgaard, Norgaard, Janelt, Lewis-Potter; Schade, Mbeumo
EXPERT PREDICTIONS
Manchester United 1-1 Brentford
Brentford can head to Old Trafford without any pressure, but that’s not the case for Ten Hag, who cannot afford another poor performance from his Manchester United side at home, especially after losing their last two league games 3-0.
Both teams will be missing key players on Saturday and have shown defensive vulnerabilities this season, so goals are likely. However, it’s hard to confidently predict a winner this time, so a lively score draw seems quite possible.
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