This weekend marks the end of another busy period for clubs involved in European competitions. There seems to be value in backing some of them to slip up.
Bryan Mbeumo reportedly turned down four clubs in order to join Manchester United in the summer. The in-form Cameroon international has made a blistering start to life at Old Trafford following his £70 million (€79m/$92m) summer move from Brentford, playing a significant role in what has been a dramatic turnaround in fortunes for Ruben Amorim's side.
Things are starting to get serious in the EFL League Cup - also known as the Carabao Cup - and we'll soon have just eight teams battling it out for glory.
Manchester United supporters very much enjoyed Grimsby Town's downfall as the League Two side crashed out of the Carabao Cup after losing 5-0 against Brentford on Tuesday. Grimsby fans were on cloud nine only a couple of months ago after they dumped the Red Devils out of the competition following an epic penalty shootout win over the Premier League giants. Goalkeeper Andre Onana in particular had a nightmare outing and was later loaned out to Turkey.
Grimsby Town have had another cheeky pop at Manchester United two months after their historic victory over the Red Devils in the Carabao Cup. The League Two side take on Brentford on Tuesday aiming to reach the quarter-finals and coach David Artell believes the Bees will make for much tougher opponents than United, who they knocked out in the second round back in August.
Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool are in a "crisis" after their fourth Premier League defeat in a row to Brentford. It is nothing short of a nightmare run for the reigning champions, who were beaten 3-2 by the Bees despite their staggering £450 million spend ($600m) in the transfer window. They have struggled at the back, conceding nine goals in four league games in defeats to Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Brentford.
Jordan Henderson has backed “world-class” Liverpool to rediscover their form after helping Brentford inflict another defeat on his former club. The England international played a crucial role as his side secured a 3-2 victory which stretched the Reds’ losing run in the Premier League to four games, with Bees trio Dango Ouattara, Kevin Schade and Igor Thiago doing the damage.
Liverpool’s 3-2 defeat against Brentford was the “worst” of their four-game losing streak in the Premier League, according to manager Arne Slot. The Reds were unable to build on their thumping Champions League victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in midweek, with the Dutchman saying their latest reverse was more damning than the defeats against Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Manchester United.
Liverpool suffered another damaging defeat, soundly beaten 3-2 by Brentford on a woeful night for boss Arne Slot at the Gtech Stadium. Once again defensive frailties were exposed and key players failed to perform for the champions, the defeat means the Reds have slipped four points behind league leaders Arsenal in sixth place and have played a game more.
With the title race having already swung back and forth while the top-four and relegation battles are as open as they have been for a few years, the Premier League is becoming increasingly difficult to predict. Sure, the odd match still follows the formbook, but a number of teams are proving tough to pin down and figure out what to expect from them on a game-to-game basis.
Ajax’s fall from grace in both domestic and European competition has taken another grim turn, with Remko Pasveer claiming the club still hasn’t recovered from the loss of Jordan Henderson. The goalkeeper has claimed that the ex-Liverpool captain’s leadership “held everything together” and his departure to Brentford has left a void the Dutch giants can’t seem to fill.
Nuno Espirito Santo tore into his "poor" West Ham team as relegation fears grow after a damaging defeat to Brentford on Monday. The humiliating 2–0 loss at the London Stadium confirmed the Hammers' worst start to a campaign on home soil in the club’s history. After the game, a disappointed Nuno admitted that West Ham "have a problem" and said the performance was just "not good enough".
Yoane Wissa is reportedly set to avoid a nine-month injury layoff, with Newcastle's £55 million ($74m) striker eyeing a return against former club Brentford. The 29-year-old, yet to even kick a ball for the Magpies since arriving on Tyneside, injured his knee while on international duty with DR Congo just a week after completing his move. The timing could not have been worse, as he hadn't even trained once with his new team-mates before disaster struck.
The Premier League is reportedly set to vote on proposals that could see a “salary cap” of sorts introduced at the top end of English football. An “anchoring” plan has been drawn up, which would limit spending for elite clubs, with shareholders expected to address that issue in November. Several teams, including Manchester rivals United and City, are said to oppose the concept.
Borussia Dortmund defender Almugera Kabar has submitted a transfer request to leave the German club. The 21-year-old has yet to make an appearance this season and does not feature in manager Niko Kovac’s plans. Kabar is reportedly looking for a loan move, with Brentford and three other English clubs expressing interest in signing him during the winter transfer window.
Five Premier League players - including Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey - were among those to endure flight chaos after jetting out of Nigeria's latest 2026 World Cup qualifier. There was midair mayhem during that journey as a cracked windscreen forced the plane that the Super Eagles were travelling on to make an emergency landing. Said trip was eventually completed some 12 hours later than initially planned.
Tottenham have joined the list of teams keen on signing Brentford attacker Kevin Schade, with the Bees’ former boss lining up a potential switch. Frank signed Schade from Freiburg in 2023 and now wants to reunite with the Germany international.
Ivan Toney could make a sensational return to the Premier League in a last-gasp bid to be included in England manager Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup plans. Toney left Brentford last year to join Al Ahli in the Saudi Pro League, but has dropped down the Three Lions’ pecking order and could make a dramatic move to force his way back in.
Michael Antonio is reportedly training at a Premier League club after his release from West Ham as the striker bids to battle back from a horror car crash. The 35-year-old Jamaican forward, who just months ago was battling to walk again after a devastating car crash in Epping Forest, has stunned fans by returning to training.
Manchester United are set to appoint Ameesh Manek as their new director of football operations. Manek joins United from Brentford and his primary responsibility will be overseeing the daily operations at United's Carrington training ground. This encompasses areas such as travel, security, training facilities, staff management, and infrastructure for both the men's and women's teams.
Jordan Henderson says he “struggled” after leaving Liverpool for Saudi Arabia, admitting he might have “made different decisions” in hindsight. The England international has opened up about his controversial decision to leave the Reds to play in a country where same-sex relationships are illegal, having previously been a vocal supporter of LGBTQ+ rights.
Brentford
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