Manchester United will hope to drag themselves closer to the top half of the Premier League table when they host quick starters Brentford at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon.
The Red Devils have made an infamously poor start to the campaign, recording their record-worst points tally at this point since the division reformed in 1992. Manager Erik ten Hag has also been hit by another injury crisis, limiting his resources ahead of the battle with the crafty Bees.
Thomas Frank has his own fitness concerns to deal with and will want a strong away performance to maintain or increase the current two-point advantage they hold over United.
Here’s 90min’s preview of a crucial fixture for United.
Man Utd vs Brentford H2H Record (Last Five Games)
Current form (all competitions)
How to watch Man Utd vs Brentford on TV – UK and US
Man Utd team news
United boss Ten Hag remains under extreme pressure and hasn’t been helped by the injury crisis which grew larger over the international break.
Kobbie Mainoo is set to miss the new few weeks of action after withdrawing from the England squad with a muscle problem, while Manuel Ugarte is struggling after returning from Uruguay duty with a suspected knock. If he isn’t fit, that would leave only Christian Eriksen and Casemiro available in central midfield.
Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are both absent, though Dutchman Malacia is getting closer to returning. Noussair Mazraoui is good to play after having precautionary heart surgery but Harry Maguire is also out alongside Leny Yoro, while there are doubts over Amad Diallo, Alejandro Garnacho and Mason Mount.
Manchester United predicted lineup vs Brentford (4-2-3-1): Onana; Lindelof, De Ligt, Martinez, Dalot; Eriksen, Ugarte; Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund.
Brentford team news
Manager Frank has confirmed midfielders Christian Norgaard and Mikkel Damsgaard are both available having suffered recent injury scares, but fellow Dane Mathias Jensen is unlikely to feature given he’s been out since late August.
Striker Yoane Wissa is training with the squad again and is a surprise contender to be fit for Saturday’s trip, but Igor Thiago, Josh Dasilva, Aaron Hickey and Gustavo Nunes have all been ruled out.
Brentford predicted lineup vs Man Utd (4-2-3-1): Flekken; Van den Berg, Collins, Pinnock, Ajer; Janelt, Norgaard; Mbeumo, Damsgaard, Lewis-Potter; Schade.
Man Utd vs Brentford score prediction
This feels like a huge game for United and Ten Hag, who haven’t tasted victory since thrashing Barsnley 7-0 in the Carabao Cup. It’s been a bleak five-game run ever since and the manager hasn’t been aided by key players going down with significant injuries.
Brentford have already posed problems for the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur this season and their fast starts could provoke more uncertainty and frustration among the Old Trafford faithful.
United will have to be at their most clinical and defensively stout to edge past this resolute Brentford side, but they might just scrape the win they need to alleviate some of the pressure on Ten Hag’s weary shoulders.
