So Brentford’s first home game of our second Premier League season – and it comes with a fascinating sub-plot with the return of Christian Eriksen to the Gtech Community Stadium/new Griffin Park.
There have been plenty of differing views over the midfielder’s decision not to sign a new contract with the Bees and instead to move to Old Trafford, including by me and United fan Sam Peoples here, and I am not going to go through them all again.
Looking purely at the match, it will be interesting to see what sort of reception Eriksen receives from the fans and then to see how Brentford’s players fare against him, given that many of them will have plenty of inside knowledge into just how he plays.
It seems unlikely that our new Danish midfielder Mikkel Damsgaard will start against the man whose role he took for Denmark in the Euros after Eriksen’s cardiac arrest.
But he is likely to be in a battle with compatriots Christian Norgaard and probably Mathias Jensen in the centre of the pitch.
Eriksen has joined a United team in a real state of flux and now on to their eighth manager, permanent and temporary, since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013.
Since he left, the club has twice finished as Premier League runners-up, and won each of the FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League once.
But the last five seasons have been trophyless and they have twice, including last campaign, finished sixth in the table.
This season started with a 2-1 home defeat by Brighton last Sunday, after which new manager Erik ten Hag said: “It was unnecessary to lose this game.”
WHO’S IN CHARGE
Erik ten Hag become United’s new manager in the close season – replacing interim boss Ralf Rangnick at the helm.
He had been in charge at Ajax since 2017 – winning two Dutch league and cup doubles during his spell there, as well as reaching the Champions League semi-finals, where they lost to Spurs.
His other managerial experience in the Netherlands came with Go Ahead Eagles and Utrecht, while he also had a spell in charge of Bayern Munich’s second team.
Erik spent his whole playing career as a centre-half in the Netherlands, where he had three spells with Twente and played more than 300 games, while also representing De Graafschap, RKC Waalwijk and Utrecht.
WE’VE MET BEFORE
United were one of four teams to do the double over us last season, along with Manchester City, Leicester and Brighton.
It was only the sixth campaign in which we have met United in league action.
Our past league results – with Brentford score first – are:
Division Two (now Championship)
1933/34 – (H) L 3-4 (A) W 3-1
1934/35 – (H) W 3-1 (A) D 0-0
Division One (now Premier League)
1936/37 – (H) W 4-0 (A) W 3-1
1938/39 – (H) L 2-5 (A) L 0-3
1946/47 – (H) D 0-0 (A) L 1-4
Premier League
2021/22 – (H) – L 1-3 (A) L 0-3
We’ve also met twice in the FA Cup – losing 7-1 in the third round in 1927/28, but beating them 2-0 in the fifth round 10 years later to reach the quarter-finals for the first time in our history.
And we lost 2-1 at Old Trafford in the second round of the League Cup as a Fourth Division side in 1975/76 after taking a shock lead through Keith Lawrence, before an own goal by keeper Bill Glazier and a strike by Sammy McIlroy took United through.
Last season
Our home game with United last season in December was postponed less than 24 hours before kick-off following a Covid outbreak at Old Trafford.
The rescheduled match in January saw United run out 3-1 winners, but not before we had given them a scare in the first half.
Only wayward finishing and some great saves from David de Gea kept us at bay before the break, and we paid the price as the visitors were 2-0 up just past the hour mark with goals from Anthony Elanga and Mason Greenwood.
Marcus Rashford made it 3-0 in the 77th minute, before Ivan Toney hit a late consolation.
The away game, moved to the evening of the May Bank Holiday for live TV coverage, proved to be very disappointing as we slipped to a 3-0 defeat – United’s only win in their last six Premier League games of the season.
An early strike from Bruno Fernandes, and a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty and effort from Raphael Varane in the second half decided the contest.
OPPOSITION VIEW
BBC Radio Manchester sports editor Bill Rice looks at Christian Eriksen’s arrival at Old Trafford, the impact of Erik ten Hag and recalls last season’s meetings between the sides.
Q – What sort of impact has Erik ten Hag had since his arrival at Old Trafford?
A – The Dutchman has made all the right noises so far, with reports of strict discipline and volatile explosions on the touchline if he isn’t happy with what he is seeing from his players, but the opening day defeat by Brighton shows how big the job ahead is.
Q – What do you make of the signing of Christian Eriksen and what can he bring to United that they lacked before?
A – Eriksen is a fabulous player and certainly improves United’s ability on the ball. What his best position is and how often he plays remains to be seen, especially after a debut in a false nine role.
Q – How do you assess the club’s other summer transfer business – both in and out?
A – Frustrating – United’s pursuit of Frenkie de Jong seems to have rumbled on all summer, and while ten Hag talked up Lisandro Martinez after his capture from Ajax, the Argentinian defender had a debut to forget. The big one that still needs resolving is Cristiano Ronaldo – and if he goes who will replace his goals.
Q – What are United’s aims this season?
A – A top four finish and a return to Champions League football is the target, but if they don’t achieve it this season ten Hag should still get more time to implement his style.
Q – What impact do you think the split season will have on United with so many players away at the World Cup?
A – Impossible to tell, but it’s unprecedented to have such a major tournament mid-season. Many could be burnt out before the season ends, but what they are still playing for after the World Cup will be more decisive in how they end the season.
Q – What do you remember of last season’s Bees-United games?
A – United’s win at Brentford was one of their finer performances, despite Thomas Frank claiming his side should have won. Ronaldo wasn’t happy being taken off that day, after a good performance.
Q – Finally can you give me a possible United formation and line-up please?
A –Â De Gea
Dalot Maguire Martinez Shaw
McTominay Fred Fernandes
Sancho Eriksen Rashford
HOW TO FOLLOW THE GAME IF YOU CAN’T BE THERE
If you can’t get to the Gtech Community Stadium for Saturday’s sold-out 5.30pm kick-off, there are various ways of following the game.
TV – The match is being shown live on Sky Sports, with coverage starting at 5.00.
Radio – There will be live commentary on BBC Radio London DAB and via the BBC Sport website and app and also on BBC 5 Live.
Buzz Box – If you want Brentford commentary, audio coverage is available via the new Buzz Box, currently on a free trial. Coverage starts half an hour before kick-off and is advert-free, with Mark Burridge, who has Karleigh Osborne alongside him this Saturday.
IAN WESTBROOK
@ianwestbrook
PUBS IN BRENTFORD AND TRAVEL NEWS
For Manchester United fans coming to the Gtech Community Stadium, there are plenty of pub options pre and post-match and all are most welcoming and away-fan-friendly (as it should be).
The pub areas are split into two zones. There is the area around Brentford’s old Griffin Park stadium. The pubs there are still very busy on match day frequented by Bees locals before heading down the road to the stadium at Kew Bridge which is only 15 minutes walk.
Then there is the area in and around the stadium in Kew Bridge.
It is possible, if you have a good early start, to savour a few pubs in and around Griffin Park and Brentford zone before heading off to the pubs in the Kew zone or even vice versa if you so fancy.
Pubs in Griffin Park/Brentford zone
When at Griffin Park, Brentford was well known for its four pubs – one on each corner of the ground. Three are still operating.
The Griffin is closest to the old away end and has always been very popular with both home and away fans and has its regulars who still make the journey down to the new stadium from there on matchday. The New Inn is on the other side which used to also be popular with away fans before the move. The Brook pub is the other option if you want to savour a pub in and around what is left of our old home. Worth a peep if you want to reminisce about old Brentford.
About five minutes’ walk away from the old ground are two pubs which are enormously popular. The Globe (Windmill Rd) is a “lively but comfortable” pub on matchday. Incredibly friendly and cosy, it has always been popular with a selection of away fans who fancied having a beer a few minutes further walk away from the ground without having to queue six persons deep. After the move to the new ground, The Globe has retained many of lot its regulars from the Griffin Park days and with screens throughout the pub and in its sheltered beer garden, it shows both Premier League and EFL football before and after each match.
Meanwhile around the corner, The Lord Nelson (Enfield Rd) is another incredibly friendly and cosy away-friendly pubs about one minute walk from The Globe. Again with a TV screen for live sports and a lovely beer garden, this is another pub frequented by “away fans in the know”.
The other pub worth checking out in the Griffin Park region is The Black Dog Beer House, formerly The Albany, on Albany Road, if you like your real ales.
There are plenty of other pubs in and around Brentford High Street including real ale pub Magpie and Crown (Brentford High Street) and the cosy Brewery Tap (Catherine Wheel Road) near the river.
For a Griffin Park area pub crawl before heading over to Kew we recommend the following: Take the Piccadilly line to Northfields station. Turn left and walk for 2 mins and you will come to The Plough (Northfields Ave). Then walk to The Lord Nelson (10 min walk from The Plough) & then The Globe (1 min walk from The Nelson) en-route before hitting The Griffin (8 min walk from The Globe) and then The Black Dog (2 mins from The Griffin). You can also try and do the other three pubs on the corner whilst down here if you fancy.
Then you can then either walk (15 minutes from The Globe/The Nelson and The Griffin/Black Dog ) or take a bus (237/267) to Kew Bridge.
Pubs in the Kew Bridge zone
Right next to Kew Bridge station, you will find the Express Tavern – an ale pub with a retro feel. The pub has been refurbished in readiness for the new football season and needless to say, is popular before the match due to its close proximity to the stadium.
Across the road by the river is One Over the Ait – a spacious boozer right next to Kew Bridge. This pub is situated on the location of the now-demolished Oxford & Cambridge pub where Brentford Football Club was founded in 1889.
Across Kew Bridge and the River Thames, there are two pubs on Kew Green – the Cricketers and the Greyhound – very close to the pier where Brentford fans have embarked on their away journeys by water to F*lham, Orient, Charlton, West Ham and even Southend.
North of the river along hoity-toity Strand on the Green, you will find The Steam Packet, in an old Cafe Rouge, and The Bell. A bit further down are The City Barge and the Bulls Head – two pubs side-by-side in which you would often see Ant and Dec hanging out.
There is also The Pilot which you can get to coming out of the BACK entrance of Gunnersbury station and we believe the old John Bull pub at the front of the station has been refurbed as The Gunnersbury but we have never been there so can’t give it a rating.
Transport to Brentford and Kew Bridge
THERE IS AN OVERGROUND STRIKE ON SATURDAY – DETAILS HERE
We normally recommend people jump on the tube from King’s Cross or Euston and head to Northfields or South Ealing on the Piccadilly Line –Â with the journey time around 40 minutes max.
The other station option is Gunnersbury. You can walk to the stadium from Gunnersbury tube station (District line) in 25 minutes or take a bus (H91, 237, 267, 110), but note that it is closed for entry for one hour after the match.
For the Brentford/Griffin Park pubs you can get the Piccadilly line tube to Northfields station from King’s Cross or Euston (35 minutes) then walk down to The Plough, The Globe, The Lord Nelson and The Griffin and other pubs from there.
The new stadium is around 25 minutes’ walk from South Ealing station – if you don’t fancy Gunnersbury – or you can get on the 65 bus from across the road which will drop you almost outside in 15 minutes.
You can also pick up the 65 bus from Ealing Broadway (district and central line) which will take you to the new stadium in 25 minutes.
You can check out Transport for London’s guide to travel on the Tube.
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