Man Utd record after losing matches ahead of Brentford visit

With the exception of the 4-0 loss in the reverse fixture against the Bees, which followed on from our opening-day defeat to Brighton, United have won six of the seven games played after being beaten this season. The first came way back in August, as the Reds put that painful evening at the Gtech Community Stadium behind us with a memorable Old Trafford win over Liverpool nine days later.

In September – either side of a free weekend following the postponement of our trip to Crystal Palace – Ten Hag’s side responded to losing our Europa League group-stage opener by getting the better of Sheriff Tiraspol in Moldova on matchday two.

The Europa League would also be the competition in which we’d immediately get back to winning ways, after October’s derby-day defeat at the Etihad Stadium, with a win over Omonia Nicosia in Cyprus later that week.

Four days after going down to Aston Villa in the Premier League, the Reds ensured that there would be no repeat, winning November’s Carabao Cup third-round meeting versus the Villans, and since the World Cup, first-leg cup triumphs over Nottingham Forest (League Cup semi-final) and Real Betis (Europa League last 16) have come just after tough days away days at Arsenal and Liverpool respectively.

Three of those bounce-back outings came at Old Trafford, and the special connection that has been garnered between the home support and the team this season will have certainly played its part when the latter have needed to get up off the canvas previously.