Brentford vs Manchester United Review
Brentford moved clear of the Premier League relegation zone after Igor Thiago scored twice in the first half, leading to an impressive 3-1 win over Manchester United, who have now gone eight away league games without a victory (2 draws, 6 losses). Brentford, having had their worst-ever start to a Premier League season with only four points from the first five matches, knew they needed a strong response against the Red Devils. Keith Andrews’ team started aggressively, and their early efforts paid off within eight minutes when Jordan Henderson’s precise long pass set up Thiago, who perfectly timed his run to confidently score past Altay Bayındır.
Encouraged by their breakthrough, the Bees quickly sought a second goal, but Bayındır remained resolute in the visitors’ goal, blocking close-range headers from Sepp van den Berg and Nathan Collins in rapid succession. Undeterred, Brentford rightfully doubled their lead in the 20th minute, with Thiago perfectly positioned to score from six yards after Bayındır could only deflect Kevin Schade’s initial shot. Having won just three of their last 24 Premier League away matches against London teams, United aimed to regain some control as the first half went on.
Ruben Amorim’s side soon pulled a goal back, with Benjamin Šeško scoring from close range on his third attempt, beating Caoimhín Kelleher to open his account for the Red Devils. Unfazed by United’s reaction, Brentford controlled the early part of the second half, with Dango Ouattara’s sharp low shot being expertly saved by Bayındır. This save proved vital because, as the final 20 minutes approached, the visitors were awarded a penalty after former Bees star Bryan Mbeumo was pulled back by Collins with a clear chance to score. Bruno Fernandes took the penalty, but Kelleher guessed right and denied the United captain, who missed his second Premier League penalty of the season.
Amorim’s team kept pushing for an equalizer in the final moments, bringing on Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount from the bench. However, it was the home side who sealed the result deep into stoppage time, as Mathias Jensen delivered a brilliant strike beyond Bayındır’s reach, extending Brentford’s strong home league record to just one loss in seven games (4 wins, 2 draws).
