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Manchester United have lost six of their first 10 matches of a season for the first time since the 1986-87 season and can ill afford another defeat on Saturday
The Manchester United circus took on a new level of calamity in midweek, as the Red Devils twice squandered the lead, had a man sent off and conceded a penalty in a 3-2 defeat to Galatasaray in the UEFA Champions League.
Under-fire manager Erik ten Hag admitted his side are in the midst of a “very difficult period”, but even that doesn’t quite do their situation justice, with United losing six of their first 10 matches of a season for the first time since 1986/87.
Preview
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20:11 - 06.10.2023
Rashford is struggling — Man Utd boss Ten Hag admits
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has admitted that star forward Marcus Rashford is not at the same levels as last season.
Worryingly for Ten Hag, United replaced then-manager Ron Atkinson in November of that campaign. He’ll therefore need the Old Trafford faithful to get behind his beleaguered side, but their form on home soil has deteriorated of late.
After going over a year unbeaten, the Red Devils have lost three of their last four home matches, and another reverse here could see them lose three league games in a row at Old Trafford for the first time since 1979.
The visit of an out-of-form Brentford side could well come at a good time then, as the Bees have lost five consecutive away matches, not winning at United since February 1937.
Brentford boss Thomas Frank has more pressing concerns though as his outfit have won just one of their last seven in all competitions (drawn three and lost as many), with their sole success in that sequence coming over Newport County of League Two - and they needed a penalty shootout to do so.
Frank thinks his team are in a spell where they “can’t get over the line” but believes it’s “a matter of time” before they turn that around. He won’t mind another away clash then as Brentford have won three of their last six on the road (drawn one, lost two) in the Premier League, with two of those wins coming against traditional ‘big six’ sides in Chelsea and Tottenham, while their only league win of 2023/24 also came away from home.
Players to watch
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23:14 - 03.10.2023
Manchester United's Hojlund stokes Haaland comparisons with Champions League milestone
Rasmus Hojlund was perhaps the best thing for Manchester United in their defeat to Galatasaray
The only silver lining of the very dark cloud lingering over Old Trafford at present is new striker Rasmus Hojlund, who has scored three times in two Champions League appearances for the Red Devils.
But with United missing three first-choice left-backs, Bryan Mbeumo could look to exploit a makeshift defence, he netted the final goal in the Bees’ 4-0 drubbing of United at the start of last season.
When and where to watch
The match will kick off at 5pm at Old Trafford and will be broadcast live on SuperSport
Predicted line-ups
Manchester United: Onana; Dalot, Varane, Evans, Amrabat; Casemiro, Mount; Antony, Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund
Brentford: Flekken; Roerslev, Collins, Pinnock, Hickey; Jensen, Norgaard, Janelt; Mbeumo, Maupay, Wissa
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