Manchester United vs Brentford: What’s on the line for both teams in the Monday night matchup?

To the casual observer, this evening’s match between Manchester United and Brentford may bear all the hallmarks of a dead rubber. United dropped out of the title race a long time ago and Brentford were never even in it but both teams will be eager to take all three points from this Monday night fixture, the final game of Week 34.

A top seven finish: European positions in play

While no silverware lies on the horizon, a place in European competition is in play for both teams. Michael Carrick’s men may have already done enough to secure one of the three remaining Champions League berths. United sit third - one of three teams on 58 points. A victory would leave them requiring just one point from the last four games to lock down a place in next season’s Champions League - a competition they have starred in just three times this decade - the most recent appearance was in 2023/24.

Europe beckons for Brentford too. Although unlike seasoned campaigners United - the only English club to have lifted every major European trophy*, the Bees have never appeared on the international stage. They came close last season but needed to finish seventh and hope another set of circumstances would align. Keith Andrews’ team currently occupy ninth place on 48 points - just one point behind Bournemouth in seventh and two behind Brighton, who are sixth in the Europa League berth,

Whether Brentford are capable of landing seventh place or not remains to be seen. The team has drawn their last five games and a first glance at the remaining fixtures doesn’t exactly inspire optimism. After taking on United, they will face relegation battlers West Ham, title aspirants Man City, Crystal Palace and Liverpool at Anfield.

While qualifying for Europe for the first time in club history would be a massive landmark occasion, Brentford would also need to be brutally honest with themselves - are they ready for it?

Boost for United

Harry Maguire returns after suspension and could enter the line-up. Leny Yoro who has been out for a fortnight could also make the squad list. Otherwise Carrick is expected to field the same XL that beat Chelsea last week. Matthijs de Ligt (back) and Patrick Dorgu (hamstring) remain sidelined.

For Brentford, Rico Henry, Vitaly Janelt and Jordan Henderson won’t be making the trip north.

Tonight’s game kicks off at 4 p.m. EDT / 1 p.m. PDT and will be aired live in the United States by Peacock.

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.