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Manchester United return to Premier League action this evening with a trip to the capital to face Thomas Frank’s Brentford.
It’s a return to the scene of one of Erik ten Hag’s most harrowing days as United boss who watched his side capitulate to a 4-0 reverse last season, in what was only his second game in charge at the club.
United will be hoping for a much improved display this evening with three points vital in their attempts to hunt down Aston Villa and Tottenham.
An evening kick off will give the home fans a create a special atmosphere at the Gtech Community Stadium and United will have to manage the early minutes well – something they failed to do last year.
With Lisandro Martinez back in the fold, United will have a much better chance of keeping the ball and building attacks through the lines with the Argentine’s quality, should he start.
It’s a tactic Ten Hag will look to employ to quieten down the crowd and allow United to progress into dangerous areas.
Kobbie Mainoo’s class and temperament will also be vital in the middle of the park with Martinez likely to link up with the talented 18-year-old throughout proceedings.
United also finally have a confident front-line to choose from and Ten Hag will feel he will have players on the bench who can make an impact, too.
Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho will likely start the game on the flanks of Rasmus Hojlund who will look to continue his fine form before his injury.
Getting the ball into the attacking trio will naturally be United’s best chance of securing maximum points with all three capable of the spectacular both individually and collectively.
With Brentford missing a few key players, United will look to expose a fragile backline and get the wide men in one-v-one situations as often as possible.
However, the home side will provide a threat of their own and the sought-after Ivan Toney will hope to leave his mark in another big game to further cement the hype surrounding him.
Harry Maguire might be the preferred choice to deal with the threat of the big striker, who provides a physical challenge.
Should United deal with set pieces and settle into their passing rhythm, the individual quality of the attacking players Ten Hag has at his disposal should have enough to win the game and keep the faint hopes of qualifying for the Champions League alive.
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