REVEALED: Premier League manager will join Jamie Carragher on tonight’s Monday Night Football in the absence of Gary Neville

Jamie Carragher is set to be joined by a surprise face on Monday Night Football for Sky Sports’ coverage of Nottingham Forest vs Burnley. 

The City Ground will see newly-promoted Burnley looking for their first points since their return to the Premier League taking on Steve Cooper’s side who have two wins and two defeats to their name so far this term. 

Vincent Kompany’s side are just one of two teams in fact yet to manage a single point, having suffered defeats to Manchester City, Aston Villa and Tottenham so far, while their tie with Luton – also pointless – was cancelled due to work at Kenilworth Road. 

Monday Night Football (MNF) on occasion sees both Carragher and regular co-host Gary Neville partnered by a special guest, and this latest installment is set to be no different. 

A sitting Premier League manager will take Neville’s place for the show, joining Carragher in the studio to provide expert insight and analysis before and after the top-flight clash.  

A Premier league manager will be in the studio for the Nottingham Forest vs Burnley clash

Regular co-host Gary Neville (left) will be absent for the broadcast with Jamie Carragher (right) in the company of a sitting boss

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The lucky boss to take up the hot seat will be Brentford’s Thomas Frank, fresh from a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Newcastle on Saturday. 

His side were undone in a tense encounter at St James’ Park by a Callum Wilson penalty in a battling display from both sides, with Newcastle ending their own three-game losing run. 

Brentford on the other hand were handed their first defeat of the 2023-24 season, although they have drawn three times and won just once, against Fulham in a west London derby.

The penalty call came under huge scrutiny with Frank openly criticising the decision to award a spot-kick, predicting that he will be given an apology by PGMOL chief Howard Webb for what he believes was an erroneous ruling.

Anthony Gordon went to ground in the box after a challenge by Mark Flekken – who has replaced Arsenal’s David Raya in goal – with Wilson stepping up in the 64th minute to provide the lethal touch.  

‘It’s so rare that I complain about it because it’s human beings who make mistakes and we all make mistakes so that happens,’ he said. ‘But it’s extra frustrating when we do so many things right and lose because of that.

‘We just got told four weeks ago when Kevin Schade went through against Tottenham, where the keeper took him out, that no, he pulled out before, so it can’t be a penalty. Mark pulled out before, now a penalty.

‘It’s not the ref who has given it but the linesman, and he needs to be absolutely bang-on, 100 per cent sure if you want to decide an even game between two teams that gave each other a fantastic game, in fact.

Brentford boss Thomas Frank will appear on Monday Night Football for Nottingham Forest’s clash with Burnley

Callum Wilson scored from the penalty spot as Newcastle managed to overcome Brentford

‘That means that VAR have checked, but can’t do anything because it’s not a clear and obvious failure. I’m pretty sure that Howard Webb will come back to us and say “Sorry, we made a mistake”.’

The Bees have been hamstrung by the absence of key striker Ivan Toney who has been banned for eight months. 

Toney was hit with the hefty ban and a £50,000 fine after accepting 232 breaches of the FA’s betting rules.

However, the English forward is set to return to training later this month, with a view to making his comeback for the London outfit in January 2024.