Manchester United sacked one manager – their greatest manager – during the international break when they ended Sir Alex Ferguson’s ambassadorial role at the club and banned him from the on-field dressing room where a stand has been named after him.
At half-time of their match against Brentford at Old Trafford, when Erik ten Hag’s side were trailing by a goal and looked as if they were about to sink even lower into the bottom half of the table, you had quite a there could be a chance that they would shoot. two bosses in one week.
Ferguson pointedly opted not to take up a place in United’s managerial box and was instead a visitor to Celtic Park to watch his resurgent former club, Aberdeen, take on the Scottish champions.
In his absence, United produced the kind of first-half performance that left them stranded in 13th place at the start of the match. It would have been fourteenth if West Ham had not been beaten so badly in the early game against Tottenham Hotspur.
They were second best to Thomas Frank’s Brentford for much of that half and to borrow from Ten Hag’s lexicon, it would have been a fairytale and a lie to say anything other than that the visitors looked like a team that was much better coached. and much better organized than their hosts.
Manchester United enjoyed a much-needed return to winning ways, sparked by Alejandro Garnacho’s sublime volley
The Red Devils had been winless for five games and were faced with a third consecutive defeat in the home league
Ethan Pinnock scored from a corner after Matthijs de Ligt was again sent off with his bloody head
But Ten Hag deserves all the credit for what happened next. Far from crumbling, United were a team transformed in the second half. They overwhelmed Brentford to a large extent and both Alejandro Garnacho, who scored a sublime equalizer in the 2-1 win, and Marcus Rashford were excellent.
Rasmus Hojlund scored a brilliant winner, the final whistle was met with a huge roar of relief by the Old Trafford crowd and suddenly the prospect of meeting the drooling Jose Mourinho in Istanbul on Thursday when United meet his Fenerbahce side in the Europa League , no more. has many fears.
United were well aware of Brentford’s remarkable recent record of scoring in the early games – after 22 seconds at Manchester City, 23 seconds at Tottenham Hotspur, 38 seconds at home to West Ham United and 75 seconds against Wolves – but they almost succumbed to another early attack. .
United took the kick-off, but that didn’t stop Brentford from launching the first real attack of the match in the third minute after Diogo Dalot had cut in from the right. This allowed Vitaly Janelt to release and roll in a cross. Kevin Schade tried to apply the finishing touches but Jonny Evans did just enough to deter him and he failed to make contact.
Brentford played much better football in the first twenty minutes. They looked confident, well-trained and cohesive – everything United are not – but Ten Hag’s side almost drew level halfway through half-time.
Mark Fleken dropped Lisandro Martinez’s header and it bounced off the back of Rasmus Hojlund. Fleken clawed him away before rolling over the line and a few minutes later he dived to his right to block out a fierce swipe from Garnacho.
Brentford still created the better chances. Bryan Mbuemo, who had scored more goals this season than the entire United team at the start of the match, muscled away from Martinez as if he wasn’t there and laid the ball off to Christian Norgaard.
Norgaard turned and unleashed a left-footed drive that produced a fine diving save for Andre Onana.
United found new life and took the lead when Bruno Fernandes’ inspired flick left Hojlund behind and coolly clipped over Mark Fleks
The result could perhaps alleviate some of the pressure on Erik Ten Hag after a few tough weeks
Matthijs de Ligt was forced out again with a bloody head, after which the Bees scored
United came more and more into the game. Christian Eriksen ran through to a one-two with Hojlund and, with the goal at his mercy, somehow lifted his shot over the bar. Shortly afterwards, Garnacho shot wide when a brilliant cross-field pass from Bruno Fernandes set him free down the left.
Matthijs de Ligt had undergone lengthy treatment earlier in the half after attempting to head the ball and instead making contact with Mbuemo’s knee. Leaving aside the question of whether he should have continued at all, the treatment did not seem particularly effective.
De Ligt was still bleeding profusely from the head wound as the half went into extra time due to his injury and the referee, Sam Barrott, reasonably sent him to the touchline to have the wound treated again.
Brentford waited for a corner. It was rolled up with speed and accuracy into the heart of the six-yard box, where Ethan Pinnock rose imperiously to meet it and guided it emphatically past Onana.
United were outraged. Presumably due to their own incompetence. If they had not been able to treat De Ligt’s wound satisfactorily, he should not have been on the field. Ruud van Nistelrooy, Ten Hag’s assistant, received a yellow card because of the intensity of his protests.
Perhaps he should have put more effort into making United defend the corner better, but then it’s always easier to blame someone else. United has become an expert in this under Ten Hag.
To United’s credit, they entered the second half like men possessed. They equalized 90 seconds after the break.
Rashford delivered a brilliant cross to the back post where Garnacho met the ball with an excellent volley that left Flokken without a chance. It was United’s first goal in the competition since September 14.
An under-fire Marcus Rashford provided a brilliant cross for Garnacho’s goal in the 47th minute
Brentford almost struck their final early blow after just 145 seconds, but Kevin Schade failed to connect with a tantalizing cross
Bryan Mbeumo hit the target before United’s injury-riddled defense suffered another blow following De Ligt’s injury
Bruno Fernandes was heavily involved and his clever touch put United ahead in the 62nd minute
United now threw everything at Brentford. Fleken made a brilliant save low to his left to tip away Garnacho’s low drive, and Rashford tormented the visiting defense down both flanks.
United deserved the lead they took in the 62nd minute. It was also a beautiful goal. Eriksen, who had become more influential, played a ball into Fernandes’ feet and Fernandes produced a beautiful strike to put Hojlund through on goal. Hojlund expertly lifted the ball over Fleks and into the net.
Substitute Joshua Zirkzee squandered an opportunity to put the game out of reach late on, but United held on to win. It confirmed the story of their last seven days: They fired a manager this week, just not the one everyone expected.