Saturday will see Bryan Mbeumo return to the Gtech Community Stadium for the first time since leaving Brentford for Manchester United — and he is expected to be targeted by the boo boys.
Mbeumo is seen by many Brentford supporters as a club legend, having scored 70 goals in 242 appearances for the west London outfit between 2019 and 2025.
Forty-two of those goals came in the Premier League, including one in a 4-0 thrashing of Man United in August 2022.
But Mbeumo will be playing for the other side on Saturday and, with Brentford down in 17th in the table, home fans will be desperate for him to choose another day to score his first Premier League away goal for his new club.
Will Brentford fans boo Bryan Mbeumo?
Plenty of Bees fans still hold Mbeumo in the highest regard. But football is a tribal game, not to mention fickle. So he is almost certain to receive at least a few boos and jeers.
Some supporters will feel sore about his exit, while others simply won’t stomach the sight of a former favourite lining up for the opposition. Even players who have given years of service are rarely universally welcomed back these days.
The atmosphere is therefore likely to be mixed — applause from some, whistles from others, and plenty of noise whenever he touches the ball, with the United supporters keen to stir the pot.
Man United star Bryan Mbeumo is likely to be booed and jeered by some Brentford fans this weekend
Precedent set in a previous Brentford vs Man United clash
This wouldn’t be the first time Brentford fans have turned on an ex-player in United colours. Christian Eriksen, who was hugely popular during his short stint in west London, was loudly booed when he made his first return in 2022.
That reception surprised many neutrals, but it showed how quickly loyalties can change in football.
Eriksen left Brentford on a free transfer, while Mbeumo commanded a £65 million fee — a deal that took United’s overall spending under Ruben Amorim past the £250m mark.
But despite Brentford receiving a chunky transfer fee — the biggest in the club’s history — Mbeumo’s return still has the potential to spark a similar reaction to Eriksen’s.
Brentford boss Keith Andrews says Mbeumo deserves “really good reception”
Brentford manager Keith Andrews has urged fans to remember just how much Mbeumo gave to the club before deciding how to greet him. Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday, Andrews described the forward as a player who embodies everything about Brentford’s rise in recent years.
He said: “I think Bryan should get a really good reception from the fans. Bryan epitomises everything good about this football club. Six years at the club, couple in the Championship, arrived as a 19-year-old, spoke very little English, developed as a young man and as a player.”
Andrews stressed that Mbeumo’s journey was one of patience and growth, supported every step of the way by the club and its supporters.
He said: “He was given time, patience, support, and I think last year was the culmination of that six-year journey. I know he really appreciates the fans. Bryan rightly should get a really good reception.”
However, the manager was quick to point out that goodwill should not extend onto the pitch.
Andrews concluded: “Having said that, I don’t want us to give him a nice reception on the pitch. We know all about his qualities and will hopefully make it an afternoon he doesn’t enjoy.”
