After an uninspiring start to the Premier League season, Brentford are looking to put some distance between themselves and the bottom three when they host Manchester United in Saturday’s early kick-off.
Match News and Current Form
With just four points on the board, Brentford have made their worst-ever start to a Premier League campaign after five matches, sitting two points worse off than each of the previous three seasons. That’s despite scoring in each of their matches and striking first in four of them, as they did in Saturday night’s 3-1 defeat against Fulham. Such a poor start perhaps isn’t surprising given the turnover of personnel in the summer, but new boss Keith Andrews will hope home comforts help relieve the pressure, as the Bees have lost just one of their last six league games on home soil (W3, D2).
Opposite number Ruben Amorim continues to learn pressure is a constant as Manchester United boss, but he’ll have slept easier after a 2-1 win over Chelsea last weekend. As ever, the Red Devils did things the hard way, matching their opponents in being reduced to ten men before half-time and eventually hanging onto the win in the face of late pressure. It was just a second league victory of the campaign (D1, L2), and Amorim’s next job is to oversee improvements on the road with United winless in seven away league matches (D2, L5), their worst run since a streak of eight back in 2019.
Head-to-Head History
While United have won five of the eight Premier League H2Hs (D1, L2), just one of those victories came on Brentford soil (D1, L2), with both defeats seeing them concede exactly four times, most recently in May (4-3).
Win ProbabilityOpta by StatsPerform
Hot Stats and Streaks
Four of Brentford’s last five home league games produced over 3.5 goals.
No side in the Premier League have attempted fewer shots than Brentford’s 39 - United lead the way on 79.
United have won just three of their last 24 away league games against London sides (D6, L15).
Six of the eight goals United have conceded in the league this term came after half-time.
Key Players to Watch and Missing Players
Brentford’s Kevin Schade scored a brace in last season’s corresponding fixture, while six of his last eight strikes for the Bees came before half-time. Bryan Mbeumo makes his first return to the club he served with such distinction looking to spark United’s attack into life, with only Erling Haaland (21) attempting more shots in the Premier League than the Cameroonian (15) this term.
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Betting Analysis
United’s promising attacking stats, combined with a Brentford defence low on confidence means that we’re backing United to win and over 2.5 goals here.
