Manchester United vs Brentford verdict, predicted score, key stats and suggested bets
Anthony Martial
Brentford have been one of the Premier League’s surprise packages this season and they can add to their impressive record of late with another good result at Old Trafford.
Date, KO time and TV coverage
Premier League, Wednesday, April 5, Kick-off 8pm
Predicted score
Suggested bets
Brentford double chance vs Manchester Utd
Brentford to beat Manchester Utd
Key stats
Manchester United have failed to score in their last three PL matches.
Manchester United have seen over 2.5 goals in their last four matches against Brentford in all competitions.
Brentford are undefeated in 15 of their last 16 PL matches.
Manchester Utd have won two of the last three meetings between the sides, but lost 4-0 last time out in the capital.
Team news
Raphael Varane, Marcus Rashford, Marcel Sabitzer and Anthony Martial were all fit to face Newcastle, with the first three all starting. Martial was a sub and could start in attack for Wout Weghorst, who has been a virtual ever present.
Alejandro Garnacho, Tom Heaton and Christian Eriksen remained sidelined alongside Donny van de Beek (knee), while Casemiro serves the penultimate game of his four-match domestic ban.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka missed out at Newcastle through illness and will come back into contention.
Fred and Jadon Sancho could also get starts.
Thomas Frank has no fresh concerns to report. Shandon Baptiste is back from a one-game ban, but Vitaly Janelt is still struggling to shake off a knee problem. Kristoffer Ajer (calf) and Keane Lewis-Potter (knee) are also unlikely to play again until the final few weeks of the season.
Verdict
It's not the time of the season to stop scoring goals, as Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag will advocate.
United were said to be title contenders in February, but a run of three games without a win has sent them spinning back into a battle to finish in the top four.
The 7-0 defeat at Liverpool has really knocked them back, but Jurgen Klopp's men, even in these times, can do that to the very best. However, since then a 10-man United were lucky to get a draw at home to lowly Southampton and they were beaten fair and square by Newcastle last time out.
Casemiro's absence has been felt and he will miss out again when the Bees look to add to their three away wins this season.
United look jaded. Maybe the change in emphasis off the ball has started to take its toll on United's XI. Ten Hag has not used a multitude of players and his reliance on Wout Weghorst in attack has been astounding.
With Anthony Martial now fit, then Ten Hag does not have an excuse to keep Weghorst as the focal point. If the towering Dutchman does start then questions might start to be asked of the United boss.
Antony has looked anything but a £86m recruit and his reliance on cutting inside has been worked out. Bruno Fernandes has also seen patchy form and with Marcus Rashford going three games without a goal, United are struggling for match-winners.
Statistically at 8/13 they are a bit of value at home, winning nine of their 13 games, but they are badly out of form.
Brentford will certainly fancy their chances of chalking up a famous double having hammered United 4-0 in August.
The Bees earned a 3-3 draw with Brighton at the weekend and would have won had it not been for a last-minute penalty. They had little possession, but are dangerous in transitions. In fact, only United (eight) have scored more than their five goals on the counter-attack.
In Ivan Toney, unlike United, they have a spearhead in attack and he will be a key man for the visitors. They have only won three times though away, with seven draws and just four defeats.
They are hard to beat and will set up with a shape which is often a five-man backline and it could well frustrate United.
The draw at 31/10 is a good option here, but the brave punters should not be put off a Brentford win at 4/1. The double chance market gets both results onside and that is a 13/10 shot as the Bees look to capitalise on the hosts' poor form.
