(Football news) The two teams meet for the first time since March when they played out a 1-1 draw at the Gtech Community Stadium, where Mason Mount’s 96th-minute strike was cancelled out in dramatic fashion by a 99th-minute Kristoffer Ajer equaliser.
Not for the first time, Erik ten Hag has survived the axe and lives to fight another day as Manchester United manager, despite overseeing the club’s worst-ever start to a Premier League season, with only eight points accumulated and two wins posted in their opening seven matches.
Manchester United have opted to remain silent on Ten Hag’s future following a seven-hour executive meeting that was held in London just over a week ago by members of the club’s leadership group, including Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Joel Glazer.
Nevertheless, the spotlight remains fixed on Ten Hag at present, and the Dutchman is tasked with turning the club’s fortunes around quickly, as they currently sit 14th in the Premier League table, closer to the relegation zone than the top four, while they are already 10 points adrift of league leaders Liverpool.
Since thrashing Barnsley 7-0 in the EFL Cup in mid-September, Manchester United have failed to win any of their last five matches in all competitions, drawing four, including a goalless stalemate at Aston Villa prior to the international break.
Man United have had little to celebrate at Old Trafford so far this term, but there is reason to be optimistic ahead of Saturday’s fixture, as they have won each of their last five home league games against Brentford by an aggregate score of 13-2—not since 1937 have they lost at home to the Bees.
Brentford buzzing out of the blocks has become the new norm in the Premier League, with Thomas Frank’s side having scored the opening goal inside the first 80 seconds in each of their last four matches.
The Bees failed to beat Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, or West Ham United when netting the opener, but they came out on top by a thrilling 5-3 scoreline at home against basement club Wolverhampton Wanderers before the international break.
Frank’s side have picked up all 10 of their Premier League points this season on home soil and currently sit 11th in the table, two points ahead of Saturday’s opponents Manchester United and three points behind the top four.
Brentford have suffered defeat in each of their first three top-flight away matches this term, albeit against Liverpool, Manchester City, and Spurs, and they head to Old Trafford this weekend seeking to avoid losing their opening four league games on the road for the first time since 1961-62 when they lost their first nine as a third-tier club.
The Bees’ record against Manchester United does not bode well ahead of Saturday’s clash, as they have only won one of their last 10 encounters with the Red Devils in all competitions, losing seven and conceding 24 goals, but Frank’s fearless side will nevertheless fancy their chances against a Ten Hag team struggling for form.
Also read: Manchester United player insists that the players are fighting
