Brentford F.C. vs Man United Lineups
Manchester United will be looking to bounce back from their disappointing defeat against Newcastle as they take on Brentford at Old Trafford. Erik ten Hag’s side was hammered 4-0 by the Bees earlier this season, but they have improved since then and are on the longest run without defeat in the Premier League this term (13 games).
While United are coping without suspended midfielder Casemiro, Brentford welcomes Shandon Baptiste from a one-game ban, although Vitaly Janelt still suffers from a knee injury.
United’s starting XI: De Gea.
David de Gea has been a loyal servant to Manchester United over the years, and he has won many matches with his brilliant goalkeeping skills. He has made 538 appearances and kept 188 clean sheets in his career, and could end the season with a Premier League Golden Glove.
But he has also had a few mistakes this season, and one such mistake came in the first half against Brentford. The keeper passed slowly to Christian Eriksen, and the Danish striker could exploit it.
The error was not huge, but it raised questions about de Gea’s distribution and aerial presence. The goalkeeper has also had a few bad passes with the ball at his feet this season, and it seems like he is becoming a liability in that regard.
With the ball at his feet, de Gea has completed only 62 per cent of his attempted passes this season. This is well behind the accuracy of the two best goalkeepers in the Premier League, Ederson and Alisson.
In addition, Raya routinely ventures out of his area to play a sweeper role. This helps his team to press high up the pitch and force mistakes from the opposition’s backline.
A glance at the numbers shows that Raya has had 75 touches in the mid-third of the pitch this season. He has also carried the ball further than de Gea, which allows him to act as an 11th outfield player in this area.
Wan-Bissaka
The right-back is one of the most interesting players in the United squad this season and has benefited greatly from the guidance of Erik ten Hag. He has recently started to impress in a back four alongside Dalot and looks to have taken his game to another level under the Dutchman.
Wan-Bissaka has impressed with his defensive abilities over the last five games and has already positively impacted the team, contributing to three crosses (one accurate), seven tackles and four clearances. He has also scored twice in the Premier League and will look to continue his impressive form against the Bees.
He has previously been compared to Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kieran Trippier and Reece James but isn’t quite as good at creating chances or having aerial dominance as these players. However, he has a great recovery pace and is always in a good position to make crucial interceptions or get in front of defenders.
Many have hailed his defence as “effortless”, and it’s easy to see why. His ability to anticipate and track back has meant he can keep teams at bay on the counter-attack.
He’s still young, but Wan-Bissaka has already shown that he can be an important player for the club. He’s not yet at the stage where he can play regularly for England, but with his defensive abilities, he could be a good prospect.
Lindelof
After a tough weekend, United need a reaction, and Erik ten Hag is likely to make some changes. Diogo Dalot is expected to return at right back in place of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, while Fred could get a start to give his energy and bite to the midfield.
Victor Lindelof is expected to start alongside Harry Maguire in the absence of Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez in central defence. Luke Shaw is unlikely to be dropped either, as he was in the side against Newcastle last time.
Brighton is a strong team, and United need to be more patient as they try to build up play. They win a throw-in deep in Brighton territory on the left and move the ball into their half.
David de Gea is called into action as he saves well from Julio Enciso’s strike after a flurry of Brighton attacks on the United goal. The Spanish goalkeeper is also alert to a challenge on Danny Welbeck by Kaoru Mitoma, and his smother wards off the danger.
The ball is then passed into the box, and Anthony Martial looks for a way past Joel Veltman, but the forward is frustrated as he tries to beat him. The striker is then fouled inside Brighton’s penalty area by Adam Webster, who heads the ball away.
United’s first chance comes in the third minute, with Bruno Fernandes unselfishly gifting Marcus Rashford a goal-scoring chance. But the striker’s shot is saved by the crossbar.
Martial
Anthony Martial has been a huge player for United this season, scoring 27 goals so far, and he will be a crucial part of the Red Devils lineup. His surging runs through the wings, dribbling ability, and incisiveness make him a dangerous threat in the final third.
He is a key player, and his presence will be crucial for United on Wednesday against Brentford. The Red Devils have been losing three straight games without a win in the Premier League, and they need a win to cut the gap to champions Man City down to two points.
With Rashford sidelined for a few matches, Anthony Martial will have his chance to prove his worth. He has scored a goal in his last two appearances against Newcastle and will likely be allowed to lead the line against his former club.
Having recently recovered from an injury that kept him out for four months, Martial is now back to full training and has a chance to make a strong comeback against his old club. The Frenchman will have to wait a while for his first start since January, but once he returns, he should be a vital player in the Manchester United lineup.
Injuries have caused a lot of problems for United this season. They have missed out on 23 games due to various injuries. In his absence, Wout Weghorst has taken up the lone striker position and is struggling to score goals. Despite this, Erik ten Hag has shown confidence in him, and it is not too early to think he will break back into the starting lineup.
Fred
On Wednesday, Manchester United will face Brentford at Old Trafford in a crucial Premier League clash. The Red Devils have been a bit disjointed in recent weeks and hope to return to form with a victory.
Meanwhile, the Bees have had mixed results since beating Arsenal 3-2 in September, but they will be looking to get back to winning ways on Wednesday. They have only lost once in their last 16 Premier League games, and they will be determined to take advantage of Manchester United’s recent struggles and claim a valuable three points.
Thomas Frank will be without four players in his starting XI on Wednesday, and he might opt to go with a 3-5-2 formation, which was in place when Brentford beat the Red Devils 4-0 earlier this season. Pontus Jansson could continue to play a central role, and Vitaly Janelt will be allowed to impress in the middle of the pitch.
The Red Devils will likely stick with Jadon Sancho and Anthony Martial in the attacking line. Bruno Fernandes will captain the side, and Wout Weghorst is expected to be a part of the final third.
The Red Devils have not scored in their last three Premier League matches, and they will be desperate to find a way to solve that problem. They also want to return to the winning ways that have propelled them to fifth place and a spot in the Champions League.
Rashford
Brentford will be desperate to get back on the winning track against man united after falling to a third straight Premier League game without a goal. It is a big blow to Erik ten Hag’s side, who are now relying on three wins in a row to secure their top-four spot, and a win over the Bees could go a long way towards restoring their confidence.
The Bees have made good progress under Thomas Frank this season, having climbed to seventh in the table. They are seven points behind the top three and have a good chance of qualifying for Europe. However, this will be their biggest test yet as they travel to Old Trafford to face a team who have won nine of their last ten midweek games.
The Red Devils look like the better side on paper, but they will have to find their mojo again. David de Gea has been impressive in the back line this season, keeping 11 clean sheets to date and looking to break his club record of 13 consecutive shutouts in the Premier League.
Rashford has been in a bit of a rut lately and has failed to score in a league game since February. He will need to be much more active if United is to overcome this slump.
The striker will be a key United player and want to continue his form from the start of the season. He will need to get his shots on target, which he hasn’t done much of in the past couple of weeks. The Red Devils will also need to take care of the Bees’ best player, Ivan Toney, who has a great scoring record this season and is a real threat in the final third.
