On Saturday, Manchester United return to the scene of one of the most humiliating results in the club’s recent history.
United have suffered some embarrassing losses in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, most notably last season’s crushing 7-0 mauling at arch rivals Liverpool. But the 4-0 defeat at Brentford last season saw Erik ten Hag lose his first two games in charge and left United rock bottom of the Premier League on zero points.
It led to legitimate questions about Ten Hag’s suitability to manage United, with the emphatic loss coming on the back of a 2-1 home defeat to Brighton on the opening day. Ten Hag was so incensed with his players he cancelled a scheduled day off and made his squad run 13.8km – the distance Brentford out-ran United by – in the blistering August heat.
The United boss took part in the running punishment himself, to show his players he did not absolve himself of blame and to underline the importance of collective responsibility. The decision paid off, as United beat Liverpool 2-1 at Old Trafford in their next game to kickstart a season that would see them finish third and win a first trophy for six years in the EFL Cup.
But the Brentford debacle proved a turning point for United, with the side that will line up at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday vastly different to the one that folded there last season. When United line-up at Brentford side on Saturday, there could be as many as eight changes from the side that found itself 4-0 down inside 35 minutes last term and unable to produce anything in reply.
Three of United’s starting line-up that day – David De Gea, Fred and Cristiano Ronaldo – are no longer at the club, with another starter, Jadon Sancho, on loan at Borussia Dortmund. Anthony Elanga, who came on for Sancho, is now at Nottingham Forest, while another second-half sub, Donny van de Beek, has embarked on another loan, this time at Eintracht Frankfurt.
Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw were subbed at half-time after an abject first 45 minutes, which prompted Jamie Carragher to declare the former “too small” to defend in the Premier League. Andre Onana has taken over from De Gea in goal and, after a shaky start to his United career, has looked more assured in recent months, with impressive distribution and some vital saves.
Casemiro – signed from Real Madrid a fortnight after the Brentford rout – brought experience and stability to the midfield, with Kobbie Mainoo having emerged as a key player there this season. Another youngster, winger Alejandro Garnacho, watched the Brentford horror show from the bench, but has since become an automatic pick on the right of United’s attack.
Rasmus Hojlund, signed from Atalanta for £72million, has led United’s attack with physicality, a formidable work-rate and goalscoring threat, overcoming a slow start to his Old Trafford career. Although Ten Hag recovered from that shocking defeat to bring Champions League football and a trophy back to United, he finds himself in a similar situation heading back to Brentford.
United needed two goals from sub Scott McTominay in added time to clinch a 2-1 win over Brentford at Old Trafford earlier this season and will face another stern test on Saturday. If United want to be back in the Champions League next season, nothing less than victory at Brentford will do, even with top-four rivals Aston Villa and Tottenham wobbling.
To do that, Ten Hag’s men will have to airbrush from memory the mental scars of their 4-0 sting by the Bees.
Man Utd line-up for 4-0 defeat at Brentford:
(4-2-3-1) De Gea; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Eriksen, Fred; Sancho, Fernandes, Rashford; Ronaldo
Likely Man Utd line-up at Brentford on Saturday (changes from the 4-0 defeat in bold):
(4-2-3-1) Onana ; Dalot, Varane, Lindelof, Wan-Bissaka; McTominay, Mainoo; Garnacho , Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund
