Live match preview – Man Utd vs Brentford 02.05.2022

Team news, stats, predictions and how to follow the Premier League this Monday as Manchester United face Brentford, live on Sky Sports.

Manchester United vs Brentford – Monday, 8pm, live on Sky Sports Premier League

Team news

Jadon Sancho will be absent for United against Brentford and could miss the remainder of the season.

The 22-year-old is struggling with tonsillitis and Ralf Rangnick says he may have to have his tonsils removed, with the interim manager ruling him out of Monday’s game.

Fred could return, Harry Maguire will be assessed and Edinson Cavani is due to return to training on Friday. Jesse Lingard missed the Chelsea match for personal reasons and Aaron Wan-Bissaka was absent with an unspecified issue. Paul Pogba are Luke Shaw are sidelined, while Mason Greenwood remains suspended by the club.

Brentford boss Thomas Frank hopes to have Christian Norgaard and Kristoffer Ajer back for the trip to Old Trafford.

Midfielder Norgaard and defender Ajer missed last weekend’s 0-0 draw with Tottenham with a calf problem and a head injury respectively but are expected to be fit for Monday.

However, defender Ethan Pinnock and forward Sergi Canos (both hamstring) are still out, as are defender Mathias Jorgensen (groin), midfielder Frank Onyeka (ankle ligaments) and striker Saman Ghoddos (ankle).

Jones Knows prediction…

It’s a sorry situation for Manchester United when the price on an away win for Brentford is as short as 7/2. Thomas Frank’s side are now much more than just a bus stop in Hounslow and this is a fixture they should be relishing. Despite the current state of the Manchester club, winning at Old Trafford for the first time since 1937 would be a momentous moment for the Bees.

The problem for them is Manchester United have Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo moved level with Heung-Min Son to joint second in the Premier League goalscoring charts with his 17th of the season on Thursday, earning United a 1-1 draw with Chelsea. You can rest assured, he has eyes on Mohamed Salah, who is five away. He will be on penalties, surely.

The 37-year-old has scored eight of United’s last nine goals, including match-winning hat-tricks against Tottenham and Norwich, in an emphatic response to criticism that came his way earlier in the season during a run of one goal in 10 games. Sometimes the most obvious play is the savvy play. Just back Ronaldo to score twice at 9/2 with Sky Bet.

SCORE PREDICTION: 2-2 | BETTING ANGLE: Cristiano Ronaldo to score twice (5/1 with Sky Bet – Bet Here!)

Opta stats…

• Man Utd are hosting Brentford for the first time in any competition since a 2-1 League Cup win in September 1975, and for the first time in the league since a 4-1 win in December 1946.
• Brentford are winless in their last six meetings with Manchester United in all competitions (D1 L5) since a 2-0 FA Cup win in February 1938.
• Man Utd’s Cristiano Ronaldo has been involved in 24 goals in his last 18 Premier League games against promoted sides (18 goals, 6 assists), netting a hat-trick in a 3-2 win against Norwich in his last such game. He’s failed to either score or assist a goal in just two of those 18 games, with one of those being in the reverse fixture against Brentford.
• Since his first Premier League start for the club in March, no player has created more chances for Brentford than Christian Eriksen (13), while the Bees are unbeaten in all six games in which the Dane has started (W5 D1).
• Ivan Toney’s goals have been worth nine points to Brentford in the Premier League this season – coming into this weekend’s games, only Cristiano Ronaldo’s strikes have been more valuable to his side.

How to follow: Watch Manchester United vs Brentford live on Sky Sports Premier League from 7pm; kick-off 8pm. Follow the game in our dedicated live match blog, including in-game clips. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after full time.

How the table stands

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