Manchester United will be licking their wounds when they visit the Gtech Community Stadium to face Brentford. Both Brentford and Manchester United went 2-0 down in their opening matches of the season. But, Thomas Frank’s men engineered a comeback and forced Leicester to share the spoils, while Manchester United could only cut the deficit by half against Brighton. Can the Red Devils bounce back with a win against Brentford? Or do the Bees have more misery in store for United?
Brentford
A dynamic Leicester City put Brentford on the back foot for most of the game. But, the visitors did not let their shoulders fall and kept on trying to regain some control of the match. After Ivan Toney pulled one back for Brentford, the dynamic of the match shifted. Thomas Frank made five substitutions to sustain the pressure, and in the 86th minute, Josh Dasilva made the score level.
Last season, Brentford embarked on their Premier League journey with a historic win over Arsenal. The draw at King Power was another statement result for the Premier League newbies, which might prove crucial in shaping the rest of their campaign. Christian Eriksen, who will play for the opposition on Saturday, was central to Brentford’s Premier League success. But Brentford’s performance against Leicester suggests they are not short of confidence despite losing one of their key players.
Kristoffer Ajer and Sergi Canós are nearing a return from their injuries. However, they will not be a part of the squad for the Manchester United game. Frank could not provide a probable return date for Ethan Pinnock, who is nursing a knee injury.
Manchester United
After a dismal display for most of the match, Manchester United players suddenly switched on towards the last 15 minutes of their match against Brighton. All of a sudden, they seemed more efficient in recycling possession and channelling the ball in the right areas. But it was too little too late! Brighton held on to their slender lead and left Old Trafford with the bragging rights.
It came as a stark reminder that Erik Ten Hag does not have a magic wand to wave that will make Manchester United’s problems go away overnight. The Dutchman needs to recruit the right players that suit his vision and figure out how he can keep the damage minimal as the rebuild goes on. The team lacked cohesion against Brighton. Ten Hag needs to come up with a formula that will help Man United become a united front.
Cristiano Ronaldo has not been discreet about his desire to leave the club. But, Ten Hag might be forced to pick the Portugal international to spearhead the United attack since he doesn’t have many options. The experiment of deploying Christian Eriksen as a false nine backfired, so he will not be eager to revisit that. Anthony Martial might watch on from the sideline again as he is yet to return to training.
Our Prediction
Manchester United seemed like a disorganized unit against Brighton. Ten Hag might need more time to sort out the problems that have been plaguing United lately. So, top football betting tips experts are not optimistic about a United win against a high-spirited Brentford side. The likeliest outcome is a 1-1 draw.
Our Tip
Draw @ 3.79
