Why is Man United vs Brentford not on TV in the UK as Premier League blackout explained

Manchester United return to Premier League action this afternoon when they take on Brentford at Old Trafford.

Despite a 0-0 draw against Aston Villa before the October international break easing some pressure on Erik ten Hag, the United manager is still believed to be under scrutiny. His focus now is to steer his team back on course as they prepare to take on Brentford, who have had an inconsistent start to their season.

The Bees sit 11th with 10 points ahead of their trip to Old Trafford, two points clear of their 14th-placed opponents. But unfortunately for UK supporters, today's game will not be shown live on television, and below is the reason why.

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When is Manchester United vs Brentford?

United will host Brentford at Old Trafford this afternoon. The match will kick-off at 3pm.

Why isn’t Man Utd vs Brentford on TV in the UK?

The game will not be on in the UK because it has not been selected for television coverage. As a result it will kick-off at 3pm, which means it is subject to the blackout rule. The restriction is designed to prevent any game being played between 2:45pm and 5:15pm on a Saturday from being shown on TV.

The rule has its fair share of critics, but it will remain in place until at least 2029 after the Premier League agreed a new TV rights package. A Premier League spokesperson told the Mirror last year the rule is in place to 'protect attendances throughout the English football pyramid' and that the English Football League (EFL) would need to be consulted before any scrapping of the rule.

This weekend will see Spurs take on West Ham on TNT Sports in the early Saturday slot while Bournemouth vs Arsenal will round off the games on Saturday evening, kicking off at 5.30pm on Sky Sports. Sunday will then see a Sky Sports double-header as Wolves will take on Manchester City at the Etihad at 2pm before Liverpool welcome Chelsea to Anfield for a 4.30pm kick-off. Sky Sports will also be showing the Monday night clash between Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace with kick-off at the City Ground set for 8pm.

How to watch Man Utd vs Brentford

While United vs Bournemouth will not be shown live in the UK, it is available via local Premier League TV rights holders in other countries. The game will be shown live on American channels Peacock and NBC.

Those wanting to tune in can also find it on several European based streaming services such as Sport 2 and Canal+ Sport. UK-based fans will be able to watch highlights of the match on Match of the Day on BBC at 10:30pm this evening, while Sky Sports will have highlights just after full time.