Manchester United 2, Brentford 1
Scott McTominay scored an injury time double to beat Brentford after Manchester United faced a historic defeat to the Bees.
It was the first time that a player had scored twice in added time since Steven Bergwijn for Spurs in January 2022 after it looked almost certain that Mathias Jensen’s first half goal had earned Brentford a first win at Old Trafford since 1937.
Brentford had successfully blunted the United attack for almost all of the game, swamping the passing lanes and frustrating the Reds who couldn’t get a clear shot away but after 26 minutes any early confidence gained by United ebbed away when Mathias Jensen slid the ball past Andre Onana after mistakes by Casemiro and Victor Lindelof allowed Brentford to counter.
Brentford’s stout defensive performance continued to frustrate United who were openly warming up subs in the first half.
The closest they got was a flick on by an offside Casemiro which Rasmus Hojlund couldn’t quite reach at the back post in first half added time.
The boos at half time seem to be getting louder which each first half failure from this United team.
Christian Eriksen came on for the out of sorts Casemiro at the break and after 53 minutes his long range effort forced a save out of Thomas Strakosha while Christian Norgaard had a chance cleared off the line by Diogo Dalot.
Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, and Anthony Martial were introduced from the bench as Brentford continued to hold firm while the sight of Victor Lindelof going straight down the tunnel after he was substituted following a collision with Thomas Strakosha won’t have impressed the Reds’ medical team.
Antony took control of the loose ball on a fast break and tried to get the ball to Rasmus Hojlund but Frank Onyeka made the tackle to prevent a shot, and this was followed by an effort by Garnacho which cleared the crossbar as United improved following the changes.
Erik Ten Hag tried to rouse the crowd for the last 10 minutes and Bruno Fernandes’ free kick was palmed away by Straskosha and very quickly United had the ball in the net when it was recycled with an own goal by Kristoffer Ajer it was ruled out after an offside check with Anthony Martial in the eyeline of Strakosha.
But the reprieve was short-lived as Garnacho’s cutback found Dalot whose shot was saved by Strakosha but Collins’ clearance was snatched out of the air by McTominay and drilled in back in 3 minutes into added time.
And 10 seconds over the allotted 6 minutes of added time McTominay turned it all around after heading Maguire’s flick on from a long free kick by Fernandes.
Embed from Getty ImagesTRIBUTE TO CATHY FERGUSON
Old Trafford gave tribute to the woman behind United’s legendary manager before the game against Brentford.
United’s men’s team wore black armbands just as their women’s team had done against Arsenal yesterday following the news that Sir Alex Ferguson’s wife of 57 years, Lady Cathy Ferguson, had passed away.
TEAM NEWS – Manchester United 2, Brentford 1
A ‘minor issue’ to Raphael Varane meant that United, who were now without their entire first choice defence (and all three left backs) had to reshuffle their starting pack again.
Varane and Hannibal Mejbri were left out of the starting lineup that was beaten by Galatasaray on Tuesday.
There were no senior defenders named on the bench after Jonny Evans and Harry Maguire – for his first Premier League start of the season – came into the side with Diogo Dalot moving to left back and Victor Lindelof shuffling across to right back.
It meant that United were using Leicester City’s 2018/19 defensive partnership against a Brentford side who had won just once in the Premier League this season.
Sofyan Amrabat shifted into midfield to give Casemiro some much needed help shielding the makeshift defence.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester United 2, Brentford 1
Andre Onana: 5. Glaring error when he failed to save Mathias Jensen’s shot. Didn’t get close to Bryan Mbeyumo’s curling shot which went just wide. Acrobatic saves from Neal Maupay’s dipping shot and Christian Norgaard’s header late on.
Diogo Dalot: 7. Remained at right back where he was reasonably effective. Cleared a Christian Norgaard effort off the line. Fired over the bar in the second half.
Harry Maguire: 7. Front foot defending as the England man given a chance after injury crisis. Set up Scott McTominay for the winner.
Jonny Evans: 6. Played on the left of central defence and was troubled by Yoane Wissa.
Victor Lindelof: 5. Expected to play right back, but was initially on the left, had a disagreement with Jonny Evans as to who was laying where and made a poor clearance that led to Mathias Jensen’s goal. Clattered in the second half after trying to get on the end of a Harry Maguire ball into the box and went straight down the tunnel after being subbed off.
Casemiro: 5. Seemed to be released from full time defensive role and got forward a bit more. Gave the ball away for the Brentford goal. Replaced at half time.
Sofyan Amrabat: 6. Stayed close to Casemiro to help him shield the defence.
Mason Mount: 6. Poor set piece delivery and blocked every time he tried to get a shot away.
Bruno Fernandes: 6. Free kick headed over by Yoane Wissa. Shot saved by Thomas Strakosha.
Marcus Rashford: 6. Had a close range near post shot saved by Thomas Strakosha. Outmuscled by Kristoffer Ajer at times. Couldn’t find the target in the second half and was taken off.
Rasmus Hojlund: 6. Felled by a ball to the face early on from Ethan Pinnock. Frustrated and slid in on Yoane Wissa later but didn’t connect. Hit the side netting and was outmuscled by Frank Onyeka as United upped the tempo after changes.
Christian Eriksen (on for Casemiro, 46): 6. Long range effort saved by Thomas Strakosha and cleared by Nathan Collins.
Antony (on for Mason Mount, 63): 6. Booed by visiting fans but still raced up field on a fast break to try and set up Rasmus Hojlund. Curled a shot over the bar as United chased the game.
Alejandro Garnacho (on for Marcus Rashford, 63): 6. Big cheer by home fans when he came on. His shot over the bar excited the home crowd. Gave United a bit of impetus from the left.
Anthony Martial (on for Victor Lindelof, 72): 6. Tried to claim a penalty but the referee wasn’t having it.
Scott McTominay (on for Sofyan Amrabat, 87): No time to mark but obviously he got the match winning double!
GOALS – Manchester United 2, Brentford 1
Man Utd 0, Brentford 1: 26. Mathias Jensen slid the ball past Andre Onana after a terrible mix-up in the United defence. Casemiro lost the ball and Wissa’s deflected cross was not cleared properly by Victor Lindelof leaving Jenson an easy shot to beat Onana.
Man Utd 1, Brentford 1: 90+3. Scott McTominay capitalised on a poor clearance to intercept the loose ball and drill it past Thomas Strakosha.
Man Utd 2, Brentford 1: 90+7. Scott McTominay headed the winner in past Thomas Strakosha after a late free kick was flicked on to him by Harry Maguire.
MATCH STATS – Manchester United 2, Brentford 1
Man Utd: Onana, Lindelof (Martial 72), Evans, Maguire, Dalot, Casemiro (Eriksen 46), Sofyan Amrabat (McTominay 87), Mount (Antony 63), Fernandes (C), Rashford (Garnacho 63), Hojlund
Man Utd Subs not used: Bayindir, Pellistri, van de Beek, Hannibal
Goals: McTominay 90+3, 90+7
Brentford: Strakosha, Collins, Pinnock, Ajer, Roerslev, Jense, Norgaard (C), Janelt (Onyeka 70), Hickey, Mbeumo, Wissa (Maupay 70)
Brentford Subs not used: Balcombe, Zanka, Ghoddos, Yarmoliuk, Kim, Olakigbe, Brierley
Booked: Hickey 10 (foul on Bruno Fernandes); Norgaard 48 (foul on Rasmus Hojlund); Collins 65 (foul on Antony); Janelt 67 (foul on Sofyan Amrabat); Maupay 79 (foul on Jonny Evans)
Goal: Jensen 26
Referee: Andrew Madley