Premier League GW8 - Manchester United vs Brentford

Manchester United vs Brentford | Photo Credits: Dailysports

The thrilling Premier League match between Brentford and Manchester United at the venerable Old Trafford stadium. This game ended up being an exhilarating rollercoaster journey full with late drama and memorable moments.

The thrilling Premier League match between Brentford and Manchester United at the venerable Old Trafford stadium. This game ended up being an exhilarating rollercoaster journey full with late drama and memorable moments.

High Stakes for Manchester United:

Erik ten Hag's Manchester United began the game under a great deal of pressure. Their 2023–24 season had been less than ideal, with back-to-back Champions League defeats and a Premier League standing of tenth. The focus on Ten Hag has only increased as a result of two recent home league losses.

Brentford's Struggles:

Ivan Toney's ban and injuries to players like Kevin Schade, Ben Mee, and Rico Henry made Brentford's season-opening performance even worse. They had only secured one win in their seven Premier League games despite taking the lead five times, and they were hoping to move up the table with a victory versus United.

Lineups:

Here are the lineups for the match:

Manchester United (4-2-3-1):

• Starting XI: Andre Onana; Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Jonny Evans, Diogo Dalot; Sofyan Amrabat, Casemiro; Bruno Fernandes, Mason Mount, Marcus Rashford; Rasmus Hojlund.

• Subs: Altay Bayindir, Anthony Martial, Christian Eriksen, Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Facundo Pellistri, Donny van de Beek, Scott McTominay, Hannibal Mejbri.

Brentford (3-5-2):

• Starting XI: Thomas Strakosha; Nathan Collins, Ethan Pinnock, Kristoffer Ajer; Mads Roerslev, Mathias Jensen, Christian Norgaard, Vitaly Janelt, Aaron Hickey; Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa.

• Subs: Ellery Balcombe, Neal Maupay, Zanka, Saman Ghoddos, Frank Onyeka, Yehor Yarmolyuk, Kim Ji-Soo, Michael Olakigbe, Ethan Brierley.

Brentford Takes the Lead:

Mathias Jensen took advantage of defensive lapses to score the opening goal for the visitors in the 26th minute, shocking Old Trafford. Casemiro's careless pass led to the goal, which Onana would have like to stop.

Mathias Jensen silences the crowd | Photo Credits: Brentford FC

First Half Setbacks:

Both sides supported the Premier League's "no room for racism" programme before the game began. However, neither team was able to break the tie in the opening period.

Halftime Desperation:

When the halftime whistle blew, Old Trafford was filled with boos. United found themselves down once more while having offensive and defensive difficulties. Their problems in front of goal were demonstrated by the fact that only one of their six shots had found the target.

Second Half Determination:

United started the second half looking for an equaliser. In the dying seconds of the game, a startling shift occurred.

Late Drama Unfolds:

United felt they had equalised in the 89th minute, but the VAR disallowed it because Martial had violated the offside rule. However, McTominay took advantage of a rebound in the 90+3 minute and volleyed the ball into the goal to tie the game at 1-1.

McTominay's Heroics:

Amazingly, McTominay wasn't finished. He overcame the Brentford defence in the 90+7th minute to head in a free-kick, giving Manchester United an incredible 2-1 lead and setting off frenzied celebrations at Old Trafford.

When the final horn sounded, Manchester United had won 2-1 after an incredible comeback. McTominay's late double had turned what appeared to be another likely home loss into a significant triumph.

Erik ten Hag and his squad were given a lifeline by Manchester United's tenacity in the last seconds of the game. They moved up to ninth position in the Premier League standings, while Brentford, while putting on a valiant effort, now had an eight-game losing skid across all competitions.