Manchester United and Brentford are set to clash at Old Trafford on Monday night, with football pundits largely in agreement that an upset is unlikely this time around. United suffered a painful 2-1 defeat against Leeds United in their most recent Monday night fixture, compounded by Lisandro Martinez's red card. However, a return to form with a victory over Chelsea last weekend has lifted spirits as Michael Carrick aims to guide the team toward European football next season. A win against Brentford would virtually secure Champions League qualification.
Current Standings and Stakes
Victory would propel United to 61 points in the Premier League standings, establishing an 11-point cushion over Brighton in fifth place and cementing their third-place position. Several leading UK pundits are backing a favourable outcome for United, with Ally McCoist predicting a triumph that would strengthen Carrick's case for the permanent managerial role at Old Trafford. Here, we round up five top football pundits' forecasts for Monday night's visit of Brentford.
Alan Shearer - United Win
Alan Shearer believes that brilliance from Bruno Fernandes will be essential for United to claim all three points at home. He told Betfair: "Man United dug out a great result last weekend, with that one bit of quality in the game when Bruno Fernandes went down to that right-hand side and pulls it back to Cunha. That was enough to get three points against a woeful Chelsea side. I think they will have enough to beat Brentford at home, so I'm going to say a Man United home win. Bruno is a quality player. Where would Man United be without him? He has been the one consistent player there for so long now."
Paul Merson - Draw
Paul Merson considers a draw a fair outcome between the two sides, arguing that momentum must be maintained after a resurgent victory over the Blues. He told Sportskeeda: "Manchester United went back to normal in that game against Leeds. That was them under Ruben Amorim all over again, got absolutely destroyed. Although they bounced back with a win over Chelsea, they must now keep the run going. Brentford can cause United as much trouble as Leeds. They are a hard team to play against and if Michael Carrick's men don't start the game well, they are in trouble. Even if Manchester United fail to get a result here, they would still be eight points ahead of Brighton in sixth-place. But United have to face Liverpool after this game and back-to-back defeats can quickly change things in the table. So this is a must-win game for them." Criticising Carrick's recent team selections, the ex-Arsenal star added: "I did not understand why Carrick started with Benjamin Sesko in each of the last two games. I've always said that he is best when he comes off the bench. When things aren't going well for United, they need that option as a substitute. I hope he uses Sesko as an impact player off the bench in this game. The way they are playing, Brighton are well and truly capable of chasing United down in the race for Champions League qualification. So they must get a win here and extend that gap over the Seagulls. I'm going for a draw here."
Harry Redknapp - United Win
Speaking to BetVictor, Harry Redknapp is adamant that supporters shouldn't discount Carrick from landing the full-time role. The legendary boss flagged United's tricky Monday night record, yet remains confident they'll get the job done. Redknapp said: "United are very well placed for a top four finish and that will be job done for Michael Carrick. It was a bit of a smash and grab at Stamford Bridge last week but that's a testament to the spirit he's instilled into the side. Don't rule out him getting the job in the summer. Brentford aren't losing, but they keep drawing! The unbeaten run is good but I'm sure Keith Andrews would have loved to have turned a few of them into wins. They've still got an outside chance of a European spot. United seem to play a lot on Monday night and it doesn't always go well! I think they win this though. All eyes will be on Bruno every week as he chases the assist record! He's had a brilliant season."
Chris Sutton - Draw
Writing in his BBC Sport column, Chris Sutton believes United's inconsistent form could point towards yet another draw. He said: "Manchester United have become a bit unpredictable recently and Michael Carrick is another manager who could do with having a strong end to the season. Still, it looks like Carrick has secured Champions League football, so if the club's owners are still deciding about who will be in charge next season then he has done a more than steady job so far. It feels like he has passed his audition and also that he has a bit of clout. I would not like to predict what will happen about his future, though, and I am not sure how this game will go either. It should be close, and it could be quite open too. Brentford will fancy their chances after beating United 3-1 earlier in the season - and also from seeing how easily Leeds carved them open at Old Trafford a couple of weeks ago. Igor Thiago scored twice against United in the reverse fixture, and he might cause them a problem or two again. The Bees just keep on drawing games at the moment, though, so I've really got to go for another draw here, haven't I?"
Ally McCoist - United Win
Ally McCoist is "fancying" United to claim victory at home on Monday night. Speaking on talkSPORT BET Casino, the ex-Scotland international believes the team have sorted their defensive issues and are on the right track for Europe. McCoist said: "I fancy Manchester United at home against Brentford. They've got an efficiency about them now that they didn't have before. I know it's a stupid thing to say, but they're playing people in the positions they're accustomed to, and they just look better. Senne Lammens has made a big difference. What a difference he has made to that team, that feeling, they have had a makeshift defence but I thought the full-backs were excellent against Chelsea. Diego Dalot never gave Alejandro Garnacho a kick at the ball. Luke Shaw is consistent every week. Casemiro is solid, and Bruno Fernandes is one of the best players in the league. You've got Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo making a difference as well, with Benjamin Sesko coming in with goals. The difference in the team is absolutely remarkable, it really is. I expect them to win that game. They'll continue their Champions League form, and they'll get it, no problem. I think they'll be put in a position where they have to give Michael Carrick the job. I'll say 3-1 to United against Brentford."
With the match looming, all eyes will be on Old Trafford as United seek to solidify their top-four finish and Carrick aims to prove his worth for the permanent role.
