Confirmed XI: Ronaldo starts; Eriksen, Fred & Fernandes in midfield three; Garnacho on the bench

Manchester United travel to the Gtech Community Stadium where they will face Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday evening. Erik ten Hag’s side will be seeking to gain their first points in the league this season after that terrible defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday.

Despite the defeat and the rumours linking the Old Trafford club with a number of signings, it looks unlikely that any new signings will be involved in this match with the club needing to sign them by noon on Friday to be cleared and with work permits needed, it will likely be the same squad.

United really need to find their feet against Brentford, who will be up for trying to disgrace Ten Hag’s side in their second match of the season. It will be a worrying time to the Dutchman, who saw his team play some good football in the first three pre-season matches only to regress massively.

Manchester United

De Gea;

Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw;

Eriksen, Fred, Fernandes;

Sancho, Ronaldo, Rashford

Substitutes

Heaton; Malacia, Varane, Wan-Bissaka; Garner, van de Beek, McTominay; Elanga, Garnacho

Brentford

Raya;

Hickey, Jansson, Mee, Henry;

Rasmussen, Norgaard, Jensen;

Mbeumo, Toney, Dasilva

Substitutes

Strakosha; Sorensen; Wissa, Onyeka, Damsgaard, Baptiste, Janelt; Ghoddos, Lewis-Potter

United need to fare much better against Brentford than they did against Brighton last weekend at Old Trafford. Ten Hag’s had them playing good football in the first three matches of pre-season but last week, it seemed that it had all been forgotten.

Scott McTominay and Fred just did not get started in the match and for this one, both need to be missed out of the squad completely and work harder to break back in after other players have been given a chance. If they know they will start, there is no pressure to perform.

The attacking line needs to be working too. I don’t think the formation last week was the best as United just did not get started. They were better in the second half but that would not have been tough being that they were terrible in the first half. Brentford will be confident this weekend.

Written by John Walker