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Manchester United take on Brentford tonight in a crucial Premier League encounter.
The Red Devils will aim to build on an advantageous weekend before the international break where they safely secured passage into the semi-finals of the FA Cup and top four rivals, Tottenham and Aston Villa both dropped points in the race for the Champions League.
Erik ten Hag’s side have consequently been given a flicker of hope that Champions League football is still a possibility but they can ill afford to drop points here and kill any momentum they are trying to build.
This particular fixture has only taken place 18 times in history, with United winning ten, Brentford six and two having ended all square.
Here are three plots that will get the blood flowing for United fans before kick-off.
Can Rasmus Hojlund continue his streak?
Some fans may not remember due to his recent injury woes but United’s young striker is still on target to break a Premier League record.
The Copenhagen born player has scored in his last six consecutive Premier League games, his latest being a brace versus Luton last month. He failed to score on his return from injury for the club against Liverpool, but that was the cup, so his chance to make more history still stands.
According to the BBC, a goal tonight would see Hojlund become the youngest player to score in seven consecutive Premier League appearances, surpassing Joe Willock.
Hojlund is also the first United player since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008 to score in six successive matches.
Were he to score at the Gtech Community Stadium, he would equal Erling Haaland, Alan Shearer and Sergio Aguero’s best ever streak of finding the back of the net in 7 consecutive games.
However, Ruud van Nistelrooy once scored in ten consecutive games for the Red Devils and Jamie Vardy holds the record at 11 Premier League matches with a goal in a row. So there is still plenty of work for the 21 year old to do.
Can United break their wretched streak in London?
United have a decent away record this season as they lie sixth in the Premier League away form table, having picked up 22 points from 14 matches.
However, their trips to London have been a disaster as of late.
The side from Manchester have incredibly only won in two of their previous 13 visits to London in the Premier League.
They have lost away to Tottenham, Arsenal and West Ham this year and their next fixture after Brentford is away to Chelsea, so they will hope to turn around their recent troubles very soon.
A trip to Crystal Palace also awaits for Erik ten Hag’s men in May.
The club did manage a late winner versus Fulham through Bruno Fernandes back in November but the nation’s capital has not been a happy hunting ground as of late for the side from Old Trafford.
Can Scott McTominay become the first Scot to score double figures for United since Brian McClair?
Scott McTominay has been lethal in front of goal recently for his club and country.
The Scottish midfielder has scored nine goals in all competitions and is the side’s second top scorer after Rasmus Hojlund.
According to the BBC, were he to find the back of the net one more time this season, he would become the first Scottish United player to reach double figures for the club since Brian McClair way back in the 1991/1992 season.
In other words he would become the only Scot to score double figures during the Premier League era for the Old Trafford outfit and he will be desperate to do so versus Brentford this evening.
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