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Extended highlight (video) : Brentford vs Manchester United, All Goals premier league 2024
All the latest as Erik ten Hag and Man Utd travel to west London for an evening Premier League game today
BRENTFORD, ENGLAND – MARCH 30: Erik ten Hag, Manager of Manchester United, arrives at the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Brentford FC and Manchester United at Gtech Community Stadium on March 30, 2024 in Brentford, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
Manchester United take on Brentford in the Premier League this evening, with the game kicking off at 8pm GMT (UK time).
After a thrilling 4-3 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup in their previous match before the international break, United will hope to take that good form into the rest of the season. Champions League qualification is still within their grasp, but Erik ten Hag’s side can afford few missteps to achieve fourth or fifth place.
United welcome back key centre-back Lisandro Martinez for this contest at the Gtech Community Stadium, with the Argentinian having been absent since the start of February with a knee problem. However, he has to be content with a place on the bench as Erik ten Hag opts for the same starting XI that produced that thrilling win last time out.
Kobbie Mainoo missed training this week but was passed fit to start after his England heroics, while Casemiro also travelled with the squad, but was on the bench.
Follow all the latest MEN updates from game below.
KEY EVENTS
- Confirmed team news19:00
- Full United matchday squad confirmed18:32
19:52SAMUEL LUCKHURST
The Martinez effect
Martinez waited to high five every outfield starter on their way off the pitch after the warm up. Martinez is at his most influential on the pitch but there is a reason why Ten Hag wanted him on the coach to go to City at the start of the month – even though he couldn’t get on the pitch.
The Brentford announcer has just mispronounced Kobbie Mainoo’s name, completely omitting the ‘i’ in his surname.
19:45DOMINIC BOOTH
Garnacho finds his range
The warmups are almost done and the action can soon commence.
19:41DOMINIC BOOTH
Ten Hag on three experienced bench options – and on Mainoo start
Erik ten Hag has talked to MUTV before this game game and said Martinez, Casemiro and Maguire need to find more rhythm before they can start for United. He also spoke about Kobbie Mainoo.
“They are back from injuries, they are not fully back in their rhythm, they need game practice and also in training they need to catch up. But we have players as options at the back and in the midfield. In the front, a little bit thin I would say.
“[Mainoo] has done very well for England and now we have to come back to club football and it’s his first experience [of that]. He’s a quality player and he gives us something extra, but it’s about the team.”
19:30SAMUEL LUCKHURST
Villa and Spurs come through unscathed
Spurs and Villa’s wins were expected and United should have been prepared for that before they arrived here. There is added pressure with them playing after those teams and Villa seem to have come through their defeat of Wolves with a minimum of fuss.
Tottenham’s victory over Luton is a reminder they (and Villa) will wobble over the next seven weeks. The question is whether United have it in them to go on a sustained and consistent winning run. The evidence so far this season suggests they don’t. But this is the time to right that wrong.
Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery (Image: Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)
19:23SAMUEL LUCKHURST
Onana finally warming up
Andre Onana did not emerge until a good 10 minutes after fellow goalkeepers Tom Heaton and Dermot Mee for the warm up. There were a couple of glances at the tunnel from the goalies and coaches Richard Hartis and Craig Mawson as they awaited Onana’s emergence, but he is out there now.
Onana did the pre-match chat with the TV rights holder when United arrived (which confirmed his starting status). So it would have had to have been a sudden and severe injury to have prevented him from playing.
19:19DOMINIC BOOTH
Onana’s pre-match message
It’s fair to say Andre Onana is in confident mood for this game at Brentford.
19:13DOMINIC BOOTH
Toney and Mbeumo threat
Ivan Toney will be the big-money sale at Brentford this summer but he will not be going to United. The notion they will spend another £70m+ on another striker is fanciful and Toney is clearly a frontman, not a support player.
The Brentford forward who would be a worthy United signing is Bryan Mbeumo. He is younger than Toney, versatile, Premier League proven and would keep starters on their toes.
Mbuemo scored in the 4-0 hammering of United last season and he’s on the bench today. The Frenchman is a hugely underrated forward and he’s only recently returned from injury. If he was at full fitness, he would be a danger, but Toney is the obvious threat. Brentford’s team won’t strike fear into United and they should be winning this game.
19:06STEVEN RAILSTON
No risks from Ten Hag
Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez haven’t been risked and that’s not a surprise. They are too important to throw in straight away, especially after missing large parts of the season already.
The team is unchanged from Liverpool and the players must take this opportunity to build on that result. Tottenham and Aston Villa – their game is yet to end – have increased the pressure with wins today and there is no room for margin tonight. Thankfully, the squad is back at full strength, with the exception of the absent Luke Shaw.
19:04SAMUEL LUCKHURST
Unchanged
United are predictably unchanged. Ten Hag understandably entrusts the players who salvaged the season against Liverpool and United need to start on the front foot again against a side with more home defeats than wins.
The bench, bar Willy Kambwala, is one of the most experienced United have named all season.
(Image: 2024 Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA)
19:00KEY EVENT
Confirmed team news
United XI: Onana; Dalot, Varane, Lindelof, Wan-Bisska; Mainoo, McTominay; Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund
Subs: Heaton, Amrabat, Maguire, Martinez, Mount, Eriksen, Casemiro, Antony, Kambwala.
Brentford XI: Flekken; Roerslev, Ajer, Zanka, Collins, Lewis-Potter; Janelt, Yarmoliuk, Jensen; Wissa, Toney
Subs: Strakosha, Maupay, Ghoddos, Onyeka, Mbuemo, Damsgaard, Baptoste, Trevitt, Ji-soo
18:54DOMINIC BOOTH
No slip-ups tonight
It’s now 2-0 to Aston Villa in their game against Wolves, as we prepare for team news to land here.
18:50SAMUEL LUCKHURST
Previous win vs Brentford was a landmark day
United somehow topped McTominay’s late winner in the reverse fixture against Brentford at Wolves and then against Liverpool two weeks ago. That Brentford victory in October – secured after United passed the 90th minute 1-0 down – could yet be significant in Ten Hag’s reign. Had Brentford held on, United would have lost seven of their first 11 games. Ie. sackable form – even at a time where Sheikh Jassim was yet to withdraw from the bidding for the club.
That United have secured four added-time winners and three 80-something minute winners confirms the reasonable resilience of the squad and majority backing the manager retains. Which is why Ten Hag will remain in charge for the entirety of the season.
Scott McTominay and Erik ten Hag pictured after the former’s late Manchester United winner vs Brentford (Image: Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images)
18:47DOMINIC BOOTH
Mainoo in town
He’s here.
18:40STEVEN RAILSTON
Casemiro and Marrtinez return
The return of the South Americans, Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez. Both players were instrumental in last season’s success and their return is a huge boost to the team. Casemiro’s performances have been disappointing this term but the midfield is better balanced when he plays.
A source recently told the MEN that Kobbie Mainoo ‘loves to play’ with Casemiro and that pair are almost certain to start alongside Fernandes.
18:37SAMUEL LUCKHURST
Only a few absentees now
Fernandes was first off the coach and Ten Hag, as usual, was the last. That is becoming a matchday ritual for the United manager.
United have a really strong squad here tonight, even without an out-and-out left back. They have all six central midfielders available for the first time all season and four centre halves.
Altay Bayindir trained separately and before the team training session yesterday. Jonny Evans is out with a knock while Tyrell Malacia, Luke Shaw and Anthony Martial are the long-term absentees.
18:32KEY EVENT
Full United matchday squad confirmed
Fernandes, Maguire, Heaton, Amrabat, Kambwala, Varane, Mount, Wan-Bissaka, Eriksen, Mee, Lindelof, Onana, McTominay, Martinez, Dalot, Mainoo, Hojlund, Antony, Garnacho, Casemiro, Rashford.
18:24SAMUEL LUCKHURST
Players arrive
Brentford have just arrived at the Community Stadium, which is more impressive inside than it is outside. The area surrounding the ground, which opened in 2021, looks like a town that was constructed with Lego bricks.
The United coach should pull in in just under ten minutes.
18:08DOMINIC BOOTH
Not long until team news
There’s less than an hour to go now before the official team news drops, with those teamsheets coming through at 7pm UK time.
Aston Villa are 1-0 up at home to Wolves, which isn’t an ideal scoreline from a United perspective, especially with Tottenham having won today too.
18:05STEVEN RAILSTON
Entertaining night to come?
United’s seven league visits to Brentford have produced 30 goals, an average of 4.3 per game, which suggests tonight’s game should be entertaining, although nobody needs a reminder of what the score was last season. That result, which came just a few games into Ten Hag’s tenure, was disastrous and many speculated United could finish in the bottom half. They responded by winning four games on the bounce.
17:56DOMINIC BOOTH
Youngsters thriving
It was another good win for United’s Under-21s side earlier today.
17:50SAMUEL LUCKHURST
Must-win for United tonight
One hopes United’s away dayers have an acerbic chant about tonight’s kick-off time that the rights holder captures loud and clear. It is scandalous that an 8pm Easter Saturday kick-off has been arranged for a game between a London club and a northern club.
Despite Tottenham’s comeback today, they will give United chances. Villa will too, irrespective of their result against Wolves. But United have to win tonight.
17:44STEVEN RAILSTON
Does Martinez go straight in?
It will be interesting to see whether Ten Hag starts Lisandro Martinez straight after his return from his knee injury. Martinez hasn’t played since sustaining that problem against West Ham on February 4 and the worst was feared when he went to the ground in that game. Fortunately, the injury didn’t require surgery and he’s set to make his return to the squad to face Brentford.
I’d personally use him from the bench in the second half to ease him back into action, but it would be no surprise if he started. His passing is key to how Ten Hag wants to play and he’s been missed over the last few weeks.
Lisandro Martinez of Manchester United (Image: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
17:30DOMINIC BOOTH
Brentford chief on Toney to United links
Brentford technical director Lee Dykes has confirmed that Ivan Toney will only be allowed to leave the club in the summer on their terms amid reports linking him with Manchester United.
This is what he told The United Stand:
“Well, we’ve got to be honest and open with ourselves, like we were last summer with David Raya. We signed players, and we’re honest with them, and they’re honest with us that maybe the time may come for them to go on to bigger and better levels than ourselves.
“We want Ivan to stay at the club and play Premier League football for Brentford for years to come.”
In-demand Brentford striker Ivan Toney in action for England (Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images)
17:18SAMUEL LUCKHURST
Brentford aren’t the force of 2022
United have had one good half here on their two visits. Thomas Frank colourfully said Brentford had “smashed” United in the first half of their 3-1 defeat in January 2022. United went in at the break goalless and then put three past Brentford in the second half.
Ten Hag was asked about the generational nadir here last season and said it was such a long time ago. Brentford are a different entity and have lost more games at home than they have won this season. This is their worst version United will encounter.
17:11DOMINIC BOOTH
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17:00DOMINIC BOOTH
United in away kit tonight
Love it, or hate it? United played in lime green away at Brentford in this fixture last season and it finished in a horrific 4-0 defeat (as if you’ve forgotten!) …
16:54STEVEN RAILSTON
The Main man
Kobbie Mainoo was absent from training on Thursday due to illness, but he reported to Carrington on Friday and should be available this evening. Mainoo enjoyed a memorable week, making his full debut for England against Belgium and making an appearance from the bench against Brazil, so coming down with sickness might have reminded him he was human.
Mainoo has started 11 of a possible 12 games in 2024 and he’s now deservedly one of the first names on the team sheet. United are a better team when he plays and fans will be hoping he gets off the team bus when it arrives.
16:40DOMINIC BOOTH
Why Brentford vs Man United is an 8pm kick-off
Tonight’s game kicks off at 8pm, but why so late?
Traditionally on a Saturday, two games are broadcast live from the Premier League. An early kick-off at 12:30pm followed by the teatime game at 5:30pm.
The Premier League has since added a new live broadcast time of 8pm on Saturdays, which has often been utilised instead of the 12:30pm kick-off if a team has been playing in Europe on a Wednesday night to allow for an adequate rest. This then means that there is usually lunchtime game but today TNT Sports showed Newcastle vs West Ham at 12:30pm.
16:31STEVEN RAILSTON
No thought for away fans
It’s a beautiful day here. We arrived at the Gtech Community Stadium an hour before the media entrance opened and a few Brentford shirts have been spotted, although we’re yet to see a United fan.
The 8pm kick-off time on Easter Saturday is a disgrace and the Premier League has shown contempt for travelling fans again, which unfortunately isn’t a surprise. That being said, the away end should still be in fine voice tonight, just as they always are.
Brentford’s G-Tech Community Stadium
16:26SAMUEL LUCKHURST
Good news for United at centre-back
Maguire and Martinez have travelled, so United have plenty of options at centre half. Ideally for United, Martinez starts on the bench, United are winning in the second half and he comes on ahead of starting next week.
It is unclear if Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo travelled down this morning. United took the rare step of travelling for an away game on matchday due to the scandalous 8pm kick-off. It has at least allowed the squad doubts more recovery time.