Manchester United secured a much-needed victory at Old Trafford, defeating Brentford 2-1 on Saturday, ending a winless streak that lasted over a month. The match saw goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Højlund, providing a much-needed boost for manager Erik ten Hag amid ongoing speculation regarding his position.
With this win, United moved up to 10th place in the Premier League standings, accumulating 11 points from eight matches, while Brentford remained in 12th position with 10 points.
“This win is significant for us,” Ten Hag commented on the result. “The team showed great unity and fighting spirit. We demonstrated the determination needed to score, and I am pleased with the two brilliant goals we netted today.”
Manchester United found themselves down a player when Brentford scored their goal right before halftime. Ethan Pinnock connected with a header from a corner after referee Sam Barrott directed Matthijs de Ligt to leave the field to address a head injury. Ten Hag referred to this incident as an “injustice.”
“It was just dried blood, he had already received treatment,” Ten Hag explained. “That was a crucial moment for us, as Brentford are strong on set pieces. Losing one of our best headers during that play was disappointing.”
Despite the setback, United came out fighting in the second half, with Garnacho scoring the equalizer shortly after the restart. He converted a cross from Marcus Rashford, placing the ball into the far corner from close range in the 47th minute.
Højlund then scored the winning goal in the 62nd minute, showcasing his skill with a deft chip over Brentford’s goalkeeper Mark Flekken, set up perfectly by Bruno Fernandes’s back-heel pass. This marked Højlund’s first league goal of the season.
Prior to this match, United had not won since defeating Barnsley 7-0 in the League Cup on September 17, and their last league win was a 3-0 victory at Southampton on September 14.
Brentford had been known for quick starts, scoring early in their previous league matches. Although they created some chances, including a close attempt by Kevin Schade and a spectacular save by United’s André Onana from Christian Nørgaard, they were unable to capitalize.
Brentford coach Thomas Frank reflected on the game, acknowledging their dominance in the first half but expressed disappointment in their passive response in the second half. “We were the better team in the first half but were not able to match that in the second. We anticipated their strong comeback and needed to respond better,” he stated.
Overall, Manchester United controlled the match, registering 11 shots on target compared to Brentford’s two.