Brentford vs Man Utd: Premier League preview, team news, stats, predictions, kick-off time
Ethan Pinnock is expected to miss out again due to the virus for Brentford while Man Utd are monitoring a small number of positive Covid-19 cases; watch free match highlights on Sky Sports digital platforms and YouTube channel shortly after full-time
Tuesday 14 December 2021 07:08, UK
Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Brentford vs Man Utd in the Premier League on Tuesday (kick-off 7.30pm).
Team news
Ivan Toney could return for Brentford's Premier League match against Manchester United after Covid-19.
The Bees' top scorer is due out of isolation in time for the match but his fitness must be assessed, while winger Sergi Canos is back from suspension. However, defender Ethan Pinnock is expected to miss out again due to the virus.
Brentford provisional squad: Fernandez, Henry, Jansson, Sorensen, Norgaard, Jensen, Mbeumo, Janelt, Cox, Thompson, Goode, Roerslev, Stevens, Onyeka, Bidstrup, Forss, Ghoddos, Baptiste, Wissa, Toney, Canos.
Manchester United will need to assess centre-back Victor Lindelof and deal with any potential Covid-19 fall-out before heading south.
The Swedish defender was replaced in the second half of Saturday's win over Norwich after he complained of breathing problems but was deemed "OK" by interim manager Ralf Rangnick post-match. A day later and the Red Devils were hit by a small number of positive Covid-19 lateral flow tests in the squad.
Raphael Varane (hamstring), Paul Pogba (thigh) and Anthony Martial (knee) were set to miss the trip to London anyway while Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Nemanja Matic and Edinson Cavani need to be assessed.
Manchester United provisional squad: Henderson, Heaton, De Gea, Kovar, Dalot, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Bailly, Maguire, Mengi, Shaw, Telles, Matic, McTominay, Fred, Van de Beek, Mejbri, Mata, Lingard, Fernandes, Sancho, Amad, Elanga, Ronaldo, Rashford, Greenwood, Cavani.
Last time out...
How to follow
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Jones Knows prediction...
I'm still having trust issues with Brentford's defence without Kristoffer Ajer and David Raya, so I can't take on Manchester United here despite their lacklustre showing at Norwich. The Bees kept three clean sheets in their first five matches but have managed a shutout just once in their last 12 matches in all competitions, conceding two or more goals in six of their last eight Premier League games. United's quality should find a way through.
Sometimes it's better to listen to those with a greater knowledge of football analysis than to use my betting head to work an angle in my favour.
Over to you, Gary Neville. He said: "I do think there will be a problem with this Manchester United system when they play teams with good full-backs who have got more quality because Dalot and Telles will get exposed. Fernandes and Sancho won't be able to get out in time by the time a Cancelo, Robertson or Alexander-Arnold has run down that wing."
Brentford don't have a Cancelo, Robertson or Alexander-Arnold but they do have Rico Henry, who has the attacking nous to cause a problem for United. The Brentford wing-back is given licence to drive into that back post area, firing four shots and scoring twice in his last six appearances. The 9/1 anytime scorer price is perhaps a little skinny considering the strong opposition but the 7/4 on him to have a shot on goal looks generous.
SCORE PREDICTION: 1-2
BETTING ANGLE: Rico Henry to have one more shots (7/4 with Sky Bet)
Opta stats
- This is the first league meeting between Brentford and Manchester United since April 1947, a goalless draw at Griffin Park in the top-flight.
- Manchester United won the last time they faced Brentford in any competition, winning a League Cup tie 2-1 at Old Trafford in September 1975 thanks to goals from Lou Macari and Sammy McIlroy.
- Only Liverpool (57) have won a Premier League game in more different stadia than Manchester United (54), with Brentford Community Stadium the 60th different ground at which the Red Devils will have played in the competition.
- Brentford are unbeaten in their last 11 league games played on Tuesdays (W5 D6) since a 2-1 loss at Luton in February 2020.
- Manchester United are unbeaten in their last 12 Premier League away games against London sides since a 2-0 loss at Arsenal in January 2020. It's their longest league run without defeat in the capital since a streak of 13 between December 2011 and December 2013
- Manchester United have won 34 of their 56 Premier League games played on Tuesdays, both the most wins and highest win rate (61%) of any side on this day of the week in the competition.
- Two of Brentford's five Premier League victories this season have been courtesy of 90th minute winners, including their win against Watford last time out. The only side to have had more wins thanks to 90th minute goals in their maiden campaign in the competition were Wigan Athletic (3 in 2005-06).
- Manchester United have won both of their two league games so far under Ralf Rangnick 1-0. No manager in the club's history has kept a clean sheet in each of their first three league games in charge of the Red Devils.
- All 10 of Brentford's Premier League home goals have been scored by different players - they're the first side in the history of the competition to see have their first 10 home goals be scored by 10 different players (excludes own goals).
- Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo has scored seven Premier League goals this season - it's the most by a player aged 36 and above in a single Premier League campaign since Graham Alexander in 2009-10 (7), while the last such player to net more was Gary Speed in 2006-07 (8).
