Kobbie Mainoo will start this afternoon’s clash with Brentford watching on from the substitutes’ bench.

It’s now the sixth Premier League game in a row that the midfielder has not been included in the starting XI, prompting major concerns with supporters over his role at the club long-term.

Ruben Amorim opts against Mainoo inclusion vs Bees

There was guaranteed to be at least one change in the middle of the park today following on from Casemiro’s red card last time out against Chelsea. However, Ruben Amorim has called upon Manuel Ugarte to deputise for the Brazilian veteran over Mainoo.

When pressed on his decision pre-match with TNT Sports, the head coach responded (h/t UtdDistrict): “Kobbie Mainoo can give us different things in that position and we talked about that during the week.

“But in the end, we look at Brentford for the number of transitions. We have three players in front, also Bruno [Fernandes], so we try to manage to balance the team.”

Mainoo could still push for mid-season switch

Heading into today’s fixture, Mainoo has featured for only 76 minutes across the three appearances he’s made, having been an unused sub for the opening two games.

He came on at the interval in place of the injured Mason Mount during United’s win over Burnley prior to the international break, before being granted a 28-minute cameo in the Manchester derby.

Last weekend at Old Trafford, the 20-year-old played just three minutes in the closing stages of the action-packed Chelsea victory. 

Should the situation continue as it is, it’s thought Mainoo will ask to leave again in the January window. He initially requested a loan move late in the summer, but United chiefs blocked any potential move, instead telling him that he was expected to stay and fight to reclaim his spot.

Manchester United are in West London and are undergoing their final preparations for this afternoon’s early kick-off vs Brentford.

Ruben Amorim has the chance to claim back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since taking the reins last November, and he won’t be granted a better opportunity to do so than the struggling Bees.

Brentford have, perhaps unsurprisingly, been suffering in the absence of Thomas Frank following his departure to Tottenham Hotspur over the summer. They also lost their two most influential creators in the form of Bryan Mbeumo, now a Red, and Yoane Wissa, who forced a move to Newcastle United.

They have won once, drawn once and lost three of their opening five matches, more recently being on the end of a 3-1 defeat to Fulham.

United’s team news for Brentford 

As for United, Amorim will have to get the job done without one of his most trusted lieutenants after he confirmed Noussair Mazraoui had sustained an injury and would be out of action until after the October international break.

Casemiro is, of course, suspended for the red card he was shown last Saturday. Amad Diallo is unavailable due to a family bereavement, and Lisandro Martinez remains sidelined.

The squad that travelled down to the capital on Friday afternoon was revealed to fans, with one inclusion raising the eyebrows of some.

Diego Leon makes trip down to London with senior squad

Youngster Diego Leon was amongst the first-team squad, despite struggling in a U21S clash against Liverpool last weekend.

He was hooked at the interval after a ‘pretty tough’ 45-minute cameo and was subsequently labelled as ‘very raw’ by journalist Nathan Salt.

The 18-year-old defender has yet to make his senior bow, having officially signed in the summer in a £3.3 million (potentially rising to £7m) deal from Cerro Porteno.

Manchester United stalwart Luke Shaw may have an internal battle on his hands as he looks to maintain his place in the starting lineup.

The 30-year-old has been omnipresent in Ruben Amorim’s lineup since the start of the season, as he has been selected in all five of the club’s Premier League fixtures thus far. The manager even went on to describe him as a ‘world-class’ player.

The Englishman has been getting largely because Lisandro Martinez is still recovering from the ACL injury that has kept him on the sidelines since February. In the Argentine’s absence, the former Southampton star has been featuring as a left centre-back in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 formation, but Amorim’s recent statements suggest that Shaw will be dropped once Lisandro regains his strength.

Luke Shaw has been Amorim’s first choice for the left centre-back role amidst Lisandro Martinez’s absence

With Martinez temporarily out of the picture, the consensus has been that Shaw is vying for his spot against the young Ayden Heaven, whom many consider a more natural fit for this particular role, since he’s a left-footed centre-back.

But while the teenager was highly impressive last season, he has only started in the shocking Carabao Cup defeat to Grimsby Town, and hasn’t exactly covered himself in glory on that particular occasion.

Nevertheless, Shaw might find himself battling for his role against a sterner contender, as Lery Yoro is seemingly targeting a spot on the left side of the defensive trio after losing his place on the right.

“Honestly, I like both, you know,” Yoro had previously told the media as reported by the Utd District.

“On the left, I can go ahead with the ball, and on the right… Of course, on the left, sometimes you need to use more your left foot, but… It’s not really a problem for me, so… I feel good in both.”

Leny Yoro gunning for Luke Shaw’s place in Man Utd lineup

Yoro began the campaign as a starter on the right side of the backline. However, the Frenchman had a poor display against Man City, prompting Amorim to drop him, switch Matthijs de Ligt to the right, and entrust Harry Maguire with the central role.

Following last Saturday’s victory over Chelsea, the Portuguese manager will be enticed to field the same personnel at the back this weekend against Brentford, but Yoro will be itching to reclaim a spot in the lineup in the coming weeks, and at this stage, Shaw’s place appears to be the most vulnerable.

Ruben Amorim is still planning for a goalkeeping revamp at Old Trafford despite signing Senne Lammens on deadline day.

The summer addition has yet to feature for Manchester United since his £18.1 million move from Royal Antwerp at the start of the month.

United’s uncertain goalkeeping situation: The state of play

Instead, Altay Bayindir has retained his starting spot between the sticks, which he has held since 2025/2026 got underway. Andre Onana was only called upon to play in United’s second-round Carabao Cup clash away to Grimsby Town, though his calamitous showing at Blundell Park was subsequently deemed the final straw for Amorim.

Lammens was swiftly brought in in the final stages of the window, and, after the main European deadline had passed, Onana was shipped out on loan to Trabzonspor. 

Even still, Amorim isn’t satisfied with the options at his disposal.

According to journalist Ben Jacobs, the United boss is angling to have a new shot-stopper added to his ranks in the new year amid expectations Bayindir could depart.

It’s also anticipated that Lammens will, eventually, be promoted to the side’s No.1 – perhaps in this afternoon’s encounter against Brentford in the early kick-off?

Bayindir has conceded eight goals in five top-flight appearances thus far, making his performances an undeniable area of concern for Amorim.

What one journo is hearing about Bayindir and Lammens

“I think Ruben Amorim is pushing for a number one goalkeeper, but he’s got Senne Lammens to test out first. After Andre Onana went to Turkey, it’s Bayindir and Lammens, so from those two, one of them has to be given the confidence to be the Manchester United number one, and I’m told that it’ll be Lammens between now and the festive period,” Jacobs told The United Stand.

He added: “There will be another goalkeeper as far as I’m aware coming in 2026 because Bayindir could leave and because Onana is likely to depart.

“They’ve got a judgment call to make: do they come back for Emi[liano] Martinez more likely in summer than January knowing the price will have dropped? That’s one possibility. Mike Maignan, the links are just there because he’s going to be a free transfer as it stands.”