EPL: Onyeka ruled out of Brentford, Man United clash

Brentford’s Nigerian midfielder Frank Onyeka remains ruled out and would be available for the English Premier League clash against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Monday (today).

This will be the first time Brentford has visited Old Trafford in a competitive game since 1975, when goals from Lou Macari and Sammy Mcllroy gave the Reds victory in the second round of the League Cup.

But Onyeka won’t be part of the Bees historic visit as manager Thomas Frank will be without him and three other first-team players – Ethan Pinnock, Saman Ghoddos and Sergi Canos for the trip to Manchester following injuries suffered by all of them in recent weeks.

Frank had hoped Pinnock would be available for Monday’s clash, but the defender has not managed to recover in time, having sustained a hamstring injury earlier in the month against Watford.

Ghoddos twisted his ankle in last weekend’s 0-0 draw with Tottenham, while Onyeka (ankle) and Canos (hamstring) are long-term absentees from the Bees’ squad and may be ruled out for the remainder of the season.

United haven’t lost any of their last seven Premier League games at the Theatre of Dreams and drew 1-1 at Old Trafford against Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea on Thursday night.

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored seven goals in his last three league games at home, and will be looking to add to his already impressive tally of 23 in all competitions for the season.

Brentford come into the game in a fine run of form, and are unbeaten in their last four games. During that run, the Bees have conceded only two goals and scored eight.

The West London side sit in 12th place on 40 points and have had an impressive first year back in the top-flight since 1947. The Bees have won two out of their last three away games, including a 4-1 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge at the start of April, and played out a 0-0 stalemate with Tottenham last time out.

PUNCH/Nnenna.O