Sophia
Ruben Amorim’s quest for back-to-back Premier League victories as Manchester United manager continues, as his side succumbed to a dismal 3-1 defeat against Brentford on Saturday. The result heaps further pressure on the Portuguese boss, with defensive frailties and a crucial penalty miss from Bruno Fernandes defining a frustrating afternoon in West London.
Early Collapse: Defensive Woes Plague United
Hoping to build on last weekend’s victory over Chelsea, United’s aspirations for a strong start quickly evaporated. Within 20 minutes, catastrophic defending saw them two goals down. Brentford striker Igor Thiago expertly exploited United’s offside trap, unleashing a venomous strike to open the scoring after a single long punt upfield dissected Amorim’s back three.
Altay Bayındır, despite denying two close-range headers, couldn’t prevent Brentford from doubling their advantage. Another direct aerial pass unnerved United’s rearguard, leading to Thiago’s tap-in after Kevin Schade’s cross was palmed into his path by Bayındır. Amorim watched helplessly as his side imploded.
Šeško’s Lifeline and Fernandes’ Miss
A glimmer of hope emerged midway through the first half when Benjamin Šeško opened his United account, reducing the deficit. The Slovenian required three attempts to capitalize on poor goalkeeping from Caoimhín Kelleher but eventually rattled home from close range. United looked sharper after Šeško’s strike but continued to struggle defensively, with Bayındır called into action multiple times to deny Brentford efforts from Van den Berg and Dango Ouattara.
With 15 minutes remaining, United were handed a golden opportunity to equalize. Nathan Collins was penalized for pulling Bryan Mbeumo down in the penalty area, though the Brentford defender controversially received only a booking when a red card seemed more appropriate. However, Bruno Fernandes, who had already missed a penalty against Fulham this season, was denied by Kelleher from the spot, keeping Brentford ahead.
Late Blow Seals United’s Fate
Fernandes’ missed penalty visibly deflated the Red Devils, who struggled to create meaningful opportunities in their desperate search for an equalizer. The situation worsened in stoppage time when Mathias Jensen thundered home Brentford’s third goal, condemning United to another dismal defeat and leaving Amorim with significant challenges to address.
Man Utd Player Ratings (3-4-2-1)
Ratings provided by FotMob
| Player | Rating (Out of 10) |
|---|---|
| GK: Altay Bayındır | 6.1 |
| CB: Matthijs de Ligt | 6.4 |
| CB: Harry Maguire | 6.2 |
| CB: Luke Shaw | 5.9 |
| RWB: Diogo Dalot | 6.8 |
| CM: Manuel Ugarte | 6.9 |
| CM: Bruno Fernandes | 6.5 |
| LWB: Patrick Dorgu | 7.1 |
| RF: Bryan Mbeumo | 7.1 |
| ST: Benjamin Šeško | 8.0 (Man Utd Player of the Match) |
| LF: Matheus Cunha | 6.7 |
Substitutes:
- Leny Yoro (66′ for Maguire): 6.4
- Kobbie Mainoo (66′ for Ugarte): 6.2
- Mason Mount (80′ for Shaw): 6.1
- Joshua Zirkzee (85′ for Dorgu): N/A
Subs not used: Senne Lammens (GK), Tom Heaton (GK), Ayden Heaven, Diego León, Tyler Fredricson.
Brentford (4-2-3-1)
- Starting XI: Caomhín Kelleher; Michael Kayode, Sepp van den Berg, Nathan Collins, Aaron Hickey; Jordan Henderson, Yehor Yarmolyuk; Dango Outtara, Mikkel Damsgaard, Kevin Schade; Igor Thiago.
- Player of the Match: Igor Thiago
- Subs: Hákon Valdimarsson (GK), Ethan Pinnock, Keane Lewis-Potter, Kristoffer Ajer, Rico Henry, Atoni Milambo, Frank Onyeka, Vitaly Janelt, Mathias Jensen.
Ewan Ross-Murray is a Sports Illustrated Soccer freelance writer who focuses primarily on the Premier League. Ewan was born in Leicester, but his heart, and club allegiance, belongs to Liverpool.
