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By Ian King

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Either Manchester United or Brentford could take a big European step with a win

A return to the Champions League for Manchester United is closer than many realise. A win against Brentford will put them 11 points above Brighton with four games to play. Losing at home to Leeds was a disappointment, but they bounced back at Chelsea the following week. 

But Brentford are involved in a fight over Europe of their own. They go into this match in ninth place in the Premier League, but a win would put them sixth, above both Brighton and Chelsea, and in with a very good chance of qualifying for European football for the first time in their history. 

We already know that seventh will be good enough, and eighth is looking likely. In other words, Brentford have something to play for, although they come into this match looking slightly out-of-sorts, having drawn their last five successive League matches, of which three were goalless. 

It’s been rather a long time since Brentford last won at Manchester United

Brentford have won the last two meetings between these two teams, 3-1 at The Brentford Community Stadium earlier this season and 4-3 at the same venue at the very end of last season. The Bees’ record on the road against United, however, isn’t as impressive. The last time they beat Manchester United at Old Trafford was on the 13th February 1937, and United have won all seven of their meetings there since then.

Bruno Fernandes has shown the onfield leadership Manchester United have needed for years

There is, presumably, common assent that Bruno Fernandes is going to end this season as Manchester United’s Player of the Year. His performances in the centre of their midfield have been consistently excellent and he’s shown the exact leadership on the pitch that United teams have been lacking for years. It’s a view backed up by former United man Nicky Butt, who was speaking exclusively to Paddy Power:

“He’s been phenomenal for Man United for a few years now. Obviously United aren’t challenging and usually the winner comes from a team that’s been successful.

“But I can’t see anyone jumping out and standing out, or being better than Bruno.

“I can’t think of anybody else who’s outshone Bruno Fernandes this season. People will say I’m biased because of Man United, I’m not at all.

“He’s been fantastic for that football club, dragged them out of the doldrums and brought them up to a level where – with respect to the squad they’ve got, and with the trouble they’ve had over the last 18 months  – third is far beyond anyone’s expectations.”

It’s not that they’re over-dependent on him, but every time Brentford score, Igor Thiago scores. They drew 2-2 with Wolves, he scored one of their goals. They drew 2-2 with Everton, he scored them both. Between those games came two goalless draws. 

Thiago remains the second-highest goalscorer in the Premier League behind Erling Haaland with 21 goals, and he’s likely to stay there, with third-placed Antoine Semenyo being on 15. He has had an incredible season, and has not been getting the credit he deserves, either.

Manchester United welcome back Maguire, but Brentford still have a backlog on their injury list

Harry Maguire returns from suspension after missing the Chelsea match and Leny Yoro could return after missing that match with a leg injury, though he remains a minor doubt. Lisandro Martínez, however, is on the second of his three-match suspension for yanking Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair against Leeds. Patrick Dorgu and Matthijs de Ligt are both out, but getting closer to returning. 

Brentford had half-hoped to have Rico Henry, Vitaly Janelt and Jordan Henderson available for this match, but head coach Keith Andrews has already confirmed they won’t be. Joshua Dasilva (knee) and Kaye Furo (groin) also remain out. Fábio Carvalho and Antoni Milambo will miss the rest of the season due to ACL injuries.

In different ways and over very different time periods, Manchester United and Brentford have both come a long way

Such was the tumult caused by the departure of Ruben Amorim, that it sometimes feels as though we’ve forgotten quite how far Manchester United have come, this season. 

Yes, the season before featured a generationally bad performance, and yes they’ve had the Premier League on easy mode this season; that’s to say, without European football. But even so, lifting any team from 15th place to Champions League qualification in one season is an achievement. 

Of course, the same can be said of Brentford, and then some. Manchester United won the Premier League in 2009. In the same year, Brentford won the League Two title, and the Bees have now been a Premier League club for five straight years without really having had that much of a tussle with relegation. 

And now they’re pushing hard for European football, the season after losing the head coach who’d masterminded it all, thereby demonstrating that their system is sound and robust. That’s probably a greater achievement, and it’s been carried out over a far longer period of time. 

But Brentford have been spread thin by injuries and their recent form has been underwhelming. They’re five games unbeaten in the Premier League, but equally are they five games without a win. With some lovely attacking options on both sides, I’m going to suggest that this one will end as a rakish 3-2 to Manchester United. In this eventuality, Brentford would have missed an opportunity, but it wouldn’t be over yet. Far from it.

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(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Nicky Butt quotes via Paddy Power.