Man United without nine players vs Brentford in a must-win Erik ten Hag match includes six defenders after star undergoes surgery

Erik ten Hag’s fight for his Old Trafford future against Brentford could leave Manchester United minus nine players. The Dutchman is under increasing pressure to improve his results following a poor start to the season.

United are 14th in the Premier League and have yet to win the Europa League. Their 3-0 loss to Tottenham was followed by disappointing draws against Porto and Aston Villa.

Ten Hag is expected to remain his job beyond the October international break, with United officials allegedly unable to reach a final decision on his future. However, finding a winning recipe may be made much more difficult with the Red Devils likely missing up to nine first-team players for the visit of Brentford on October 19.

Long-term absentees Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, Leny Yoro, and Harry Maguire will all be missing. Noussair Mazraoui is expected to miss the Premier League game after undergoing a minor surgery on Thursday.

Mason Mount may also be in jeopardy after suffering a head injury against Spurs. The midfielder has not played since being replaced during the game.

In addition to the players that are expected to be absent, three United players withdrew from international assignment this week. Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho, and Amad Diallo all returned to the club’s Carrington training facility after being excused by their respective nationalities.

It left Ten Hag rushing to put together a lineup for United’s encounter against Brentford. This season, Mainoo, Garnacho, and Amad have all been regular starters for United.

Bruno Fernandes will be available after his red card against Spurs was overturned, which is fantastic news for the Red Devils coach. The Brentford game was scheduled to be the second of his three-game suspension imposed after being sent off at Old Trafford.

United are widely anticipated to keep Ten Hag in charge, but they expect the former Ajax manager to improve the club’s performance. According to the Independent, there are significant differences of opinion among the club’s management on the contingency plan in case the 54-year-old is fired.

If the axe falls on Ten Hag, Thomas Tuchel is reportedly being considered. INEOS representatives engaged with the former Chelsea head coach throughout the summer as they explored all their options, but they could not reach an agreement