"I just have a gut feeling" - Chris Sutton makes score prediction for Manchester United vs Brentford

As the international break concludes, Premier League action returns with Manchester United set to host Brentford on Saturday, October 19. Former Aston Villa forward and current BBC pundit Chris Sutton has expressed his belief that the Red Devils will edge past Brentford.

United boss Erik ten Hag is a man under significant pressure, as his team has failed to secure a win in their last five games across all competitions. After consecutive draws against Crystal Palace (0-0) in the league and FC Twente (1-1) in the Europa League, United suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

All these results have certainly raised serious questions about Ten Hag’s future. Although performances have slightly improved since then, Manchester United only managed a draw against Porto (3-3) in Europe. It was followed by a resolute defensive display to earn a goalless draw against Aston Villa.

Currently, Ten Hag’s side sit 14th in the league, having won just two of their opening seven games. Brentford, on the other hand, have enjoyed a solid start to their campaign, winning three games and sitting three places above United in the standings.

Despite Manchester United’s poor form, Chris Sutton has a “gut feeling” that they will bounce back and secure a 2-1 victory against the Bees.

"Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag needs a win, with his side 14th in the table and the joint-second lowest scorers with five goals from seven league games," Sutton wrote in BBC.

"Logic tells me that, while Brentford are yet to pick up an away point so far, they are the better team, and have been the better team all season. We also know the Bees still love an early goal, so they will probably take the lead again... but I just have a gut feeling that United will edge this one again, somehow," he added.

It promises to be an intriguing battle, considering Brentford’s quality on the break against a struggling United side. On a positive note for the Red Devils, both Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia have returned to training, providing the Dutchman with more options on the left flank.

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Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag confident his side will turn their form around

Erik ten Hag has been given another lifeline, and he will certainly be eager to make the most of it in the upcoming fixtures. Despite the poor results, the Dutch manager believes there have been some positive signs that the team can build on.

"It’s top football, sometimes you have to face challenges. Sometimes it goes up, sometimes it goes down but I’m sure we will make it a success as we did the last two seasons. I think we are in a direction, underneath I see the good things. I see good patterns and I see also good stats that confirm we are in a good direction,” he said (Via Manchester United website).

Following their game against Brentford, United will face a challenging test on the road against Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce in the Europa League on October 24. They will then return to Premier League action against West Ham United on Sunday, October 27.