Manchester United will be hoping to build on their FA Cup triumph over Liverpool when they face Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday.

United signed off for the international break in dramatic fashion, beating the Merseysiders 4-3 in extra-time to progress to the FA Cup semi-finals for the second season running. As a reward, they will face Coventry City at Wembley next month.

Before United switch their focus to their tussle with the Sky Blues, they must work their way through a handful of important Premier League fixtures, starting against the Bees. United are currently sixth in the table, nine points shy of fourth-placed Aston Villa and six behind fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.

Though a top four finish remains United's ambition, a fifth-placed finish could be enough to secure Champions League qualification ahead of next season. It means the race for a spot in Europe's premier club competition could become very heated as we move into the business end of the campaign.

With that in mind, MEN Sport has picked out four things that United would like to come to fruition ahead of the campaign resuming that would make it the dream weekend.

United begin the restart with a bang

The most important thing this forthcoming weekend is United getting three points on the board. After what happened on their last visit to Brentford in August 2022, they will be determined to make amends for that horror show and prove they have made significant progress since.

Furthermore, the trip to the Gtech Community Stadium also marks the first of three crunch Premier League matches in the space of nine days. United face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge next Thursday and then renew their rivalry with Liverpool at Old Trafford three days later.

United's form, generally speaking, has been encouraging in 2024, leading them to nine wins from 12 matches in all competitions this calendar year. They have created a platform to build on after the win over Liverpool and they should have the utmost optimism that they can get a positive result against Thomas Frank's side.

Martinez makes his return

If Lisandro Martinez returns to the squad for the trip to the capital, United will have received an even bigger injection of confidence. Though they have coped well in his absence in recent weeks, his importance cannot be understated.

Not only a class defender, the Argentine is also key to United's style of play and build-up from deep. He possesses ball-playing credentials that no other member of United's defensive pool has.

Plus, should he return, it will give him a chance to prove how much he has improved since his last visit to the red and white corner of west London. He made just his second appearance for the club in the aforementioned 4-0 defeat and was hooked at half-time, prompting questions about his ability to adapt to the Premier League. He banished those concerns just over a week later against Liverpool.

Spurs and Villa slip up

In addition to United winning this weekend, it would be even better if both Villa and Spurs faltered. Both of the Reds' top four contenders are in action earlier in the day; Spurs host Luton Town at 3pm and Villa lock horns with Wolves at 5.30pm, ahead of United kicking off at 8pm.

When United faced Liverpool over the weekend prior to the international break, Villa drew 1-1 at West Ham United and Spurs were beaten 3-0 by Fulham. In a dream scenario for United, a win for them and defeats for the aforementioned duo would see them move to within six points of Villa and three of Spurs.

United and Spurs both have a game in hand on Villa, meaning a defeat for Unai Emery's men this weekend could potentially be really damaging. Villa's form has been on the slide since Christmas, recording just five wins from their last 11 league games, whereas United's has been on an upward curve.

Hojlund gets back among the goals

After making his return from a muscle injury against Liverpool, Rasmus Hojlund will be itching to get back among the goals as quickly as possible. At the time of suffering a muscle injury in late February, the Dane was on a run of seven goals in six Premier League appearances.

Hojlund last failed to score in a league game on December 23, firing a blank in United's 2-0 defeat to West Ham at the London Stadium. His first Premier League goal against Aston Villa on Boxing Day marked a breakthrough moment.

If he can get back among the goals at the first time of asking in the league, he will not only boost his own confidence but he will also give United an extra boost heading into a crunch period of the season. He will be key in their Champions League quest.