PREVIEW: Brentford still in the hunt for Europe as Manchester United trip looms

It is, on paper, the first in a trio of brutal-looking away fixtures. The trek to Old Trafford is followed by one to champions-elect Manchester City before the season concludes at Liverpool. The only respite, if one can use the word, being home games against relegation-threatened West Ham and a Crystal Palace side who may have other things on their mind sandwiched in between this road to hell.

That’s the first obstacle in the way. The plus side being that when the season began with all the upheaval and changes, I can’t imagine there would have been many fans who, even inwardly, didn’t take a look at the fixture list and wonder what position the Bees may be in or how on earth they’d get the points to ensure another Premier League campaign?

Instead, Keith Andrews goes into this one knowing that the top end of the table is still available to him as his team sit at the upper end of the chasing pack. All of whom knowing that a couple of wins will guarantee legendary status.

Therein lies his greatest challenge, Brentford’s second obstacle, getting a win. Five successive draws have finally seen the Bees overtaken. Brighton climbing above them to seventh in midweek, following their own 3-0 defeat of Chelsea. The irony there being the subsequent sacking of Blues boss Liam Rosenior means he actually lasted two months less at the helm than his father Leroy did at Griffin Park back in 2006. A period those of us present at the time will never forget…

Keith’s situation is not helped by a squad now running on fumes. A bench made up of defenders and B team players means that no changes were made in the draw with Fulham whilst there was only one sub card played, and that pretty much enforced, in the previous game. That gut-wrenching last-gasp draw with Everton.

One can’t blame him although the question of why Romelle Donovan is not getting a look in from the bench to freshen things up remains one I’d love to know the answer to. Moreso given we’re talking about somebody who has tasted first-team action on several occasions already.

The one plus point was the return of Aaron Hickey to the matchday squad last Saturday. True, he’s another defender, but at least he provides an extra attacking option in allowing KLP to sit higher up the pitch. Fingers crossed he may also be joined by Jordan Henderson on Monday night.

The question Keith is more likely to ponder is that of formation and whether to add the extra central defender that he often prefers in such tricky-looking encounters. Certainly, he did so as recently as the 0-0 at Leeds United. Given how the Manchester United side he’ll face are a different beast to that thumped 3-1 at the Gtech earlier in the season, I can only imagine more of the same. Albeit, I bet Harry Maguire must still be having nightmares about Igor Thiago even now.

For what it’s worth, I suspect we’ll see the addition of Kris Ajer to the defence and a formation more akin to a 5-3-2. KLP and Michael Kayode, who have both been in magnificent form, providing any additional push on the overlap through the flanks. Assuming the Bees want to push.

Those last couple of games have seen large swathes of the ball being passed across the backline, up, across and then back again. The Bees looking to work the perfect opening and control the ball rather than continued waves of attack.

This isn’t anything new to those of us familiar with the team, but if not punctuated by goals or conceding sloppy ones, it does mean that what looked like a win can suddenly become a draw. If anything, for me being 2-0 up and cruising at home to Wolves smarts way more than the same scoreline against Everton.

As always though, perspective and looking forward. Forget how we got here but look at where we are. The task at hand. The scant amount of fixtures remaining. The potential that every point, every win, could bring over these last few games. The Bees are two points behind sixth-placed Brighton. Three points ahead of twelfth-placed Fulham. The table is wrapped up tighter than a duck’s, err, derrière. Who wants it more?

Keith is fully focused. I was present at a small supporter event he attended in Gunnersbury Park on Thursday afternoon (great work from the BFC Community Sports Trust) and he seemed in great spirits. Looking forward to the task at hand.

Here’s hoping it carries into the game on Monday. Old Trafford a creaking relic but one where, with the fans back on side and the team firing under Michael Carrick, is only going to be about as huge a task as is imaginable. Then again, we said similar about the trips to Aston Villa and Newcastle United. Look how they worked out. One thing about Keith is to expect the unexpected.

Here’s to Monday night, where hopefully he can surprise us again. A sixth draw in a row, at a stadium where we are yet to record a single point since February 1937 (curse you, Scott McTominay – but also decades in League One and Two), would be significant. A win, even more so.

If there is one man who can mastermind this, I reckon it could be Keith. Bring it on…