Red-hot Brentford are back at home on Sunday for the visit of Manchester United. Nick Bruzon previews.
Well, well, well. Isn’t the season heading for a top draw finale?
Thursday night’s 2-0 defeat of Nottingham Forest saw the gap to eighth place in the Premier League shrink to just two points. That’s the target for a European place, albeit in theory up to ten teams could qualify for the three tournaments should a variety of circumstances play out.
We’ll worry about those closer to the time but for now all eyes are on the eighth position currently occupied by Fulham. There are four games left, starting with Sunday’s visit from the Red Devils, to achieve this. Hit the mark and a place in next season’s UEFA Conference awaits.
Exciting times and for Thomas Frank, surely no easier decision to make on team selection than ‘more of the same’. The line up of Flekken, Lewis-Potter, van den Berg, Collins, Kayode, Yarmoliuk, Nørgaard, Damsgaard, Schade, Mbeumo and Wissa has fast become Thomas Frank’s first choice starting XI.
With consistency being met with results (prior to Forest, Brighton had been humped 4-2 at the Gtech) only injury news will cause a change to this line up. Indeed, that game with The Seagulls was the fifth time in 16 home games played this season that the Bees have scored four (or more) goals. Wissa (& co) very much on fire.
Interestingly, the game with Forest saw both goals come from long balls over the top. Nathan Collins and Mark Flekken lining up Schade and Wissa respectively. It was an approach at odds with Brentford’s udal play of getting the ball out wide and then cutting but shows we can mix it up when the situation dictates.
There’s no shame in bypassing midfield if it works like that.
For Manchester United, the lure of Europe also dangles like a particularly juicy carrot. Albeit they’ll have to do it the hard way – by actually winning a trophy.
So bang average has their season been that all eyes are on the Europa League. A 3-0 away win at Athletic Bilbao in last night’s first-leg semi sees them with one foot in the final. Lift the cup and a place in the Champions League awaits.
With Spurs doing equally well on the other side of the draw, we are faced with the prospect of one of the most underwhelming teams in Premier League history feasting at Europe’s top table. Which is something that could play to Brentford’s advantage on Sunday.
So crucial will it be to ensure progression that could players be rested? Will challenges be pulled out of to avoid the risk of injury? Might there be a foot off the gas? Ruben Amorin will no doubt use his press conference to speak about playing to win and consummate professionalism but I don’t believe it for one second. Thursday’s second leg is just too big for them to be taking any risks.
I’ll never forget his predecessor’s first Premier League away game back in August 2022. Erik ten Hag left shell shocked as The Bees raced into that 4-0 lead with just 35 minutes played. Whilst the scores remained the same thereafter, it was one of the most exhilarating performances ever seen from the boys in red and white stripes.
More of the same this weekend would do very nicely, thank you.
