Brentford inflicted a deflating defeat on Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United, scoring two early goals and finishing the game off in injury time, in an encounter the visitors never looked like winning.
It says much about the league that had United won they would have done into the afternoon’s fixtures comfortably in the Champions League race. This was, however, their third defeat in just six league games this season.
Before the game, United posted quotes on their social media where Amorim had stated “The next game is going to be the most important in a long time for Manchester United.”
It was a positive message, but too often in recent seasons, managers have stumbled in these early weeks and were then left trying to fight for their future with a squad few outside have much confidence in. When results have been poor and the same faces populate the starting line up, supporters have a sharp intake of breath – for if the manager still selects the same players, and the same poor results happen, who is learning what, and what is the consequence of the importance?
United’s only win at Brentford in the Premier League came in 2022, ironically enough wearing a similar combination to today’s strip, with the 21/22 blue and black shirt which had its inspiration from the same as this season’s third, and yellow shorts and socks.
They haven’t looked defensively solid in any visit to Brentford since that first occasion – and immediately showed their usual sloppy style on trips here to give the hosts an early two goal lead.
Just eight minutes were on the clock when United conceded a goal identical to their last away from home, at Manchester City two weeks ago – when a long pass found Thiago one-on-one with Maguire on the halfway line. The Brentford forward, like Erling Haaland a fortnight ago, had the freedom of his attacking half to score, and made no mistake with a powerful effort a little further out than the Norwegian chose at the Etihad.
It was far enough out to wonder if Bayindir too might have done more than just watch – and the Turkish goalkeeper was under question too for a soft save twelve minutes later, when Thiago evaded the attention of Shaw to tap home his second.
Amorim had confessed to TNT Sport, covering the game in the UK, that he wasn’t completely confident in his team’s ability to defend. One might understand the selection of Maguire from the point of view of defending Brentford’s set-plays, but when Maguire, Shaw and Ugarte have all been culpable in recent weeks, it seemed like the manager was creating problems for his own team by continuing to select them.
So too the selection of Altay Bayindir, a goalkeeper who does not inspire confidence, but is holding on to a position through another lack of confidence in the maturity of a new signing. Bayindir wasn’t at fault for Brentford’s goals, but a better goalkeeper would have done better.
Within six minutes of falling two behind, Benjamin Sesko reduced the arrears with his first goal for the club – though his first two efforts were saved, he was able to power home at the third attempt.
United never truly threatened even though the data suggested they were the dominant team at the break. That’s been the story of the team’s season, really – a mix, a contradiction, numbers versus the eye test. Amorim has referenced that data.
He’s pointed to the performance against Arsenal. But United’s positive statistics have been hugely influenced by firstly teams permitting them to have a go when Amorim’s side were behind; secondly, Burnley being poor; thirdly, Chelsea having ten men for a large period of the game; and fourth, the award of three penalties already this season following the conclusion of this game.
Amorim realised once more that the pattern of this match wasn’t unfolding well after the hour mark so brought on Mainoo for Ugarte and Yoro for Maguire. By then, United were getting desperate, but somehow found a way back in when Collins hauled back Mbuemo in the box. It was a definite penalty, and seemed a clear denial of a goalscoring opportunity.
The referee took his time to decide that it in fact wasn’t a clear denial, somehow, so the yellow card to Collins stayed just that – and Brentford manager Keith Andrews then decided to play mind games of his own, making two substitutions before Bruno Fernandes could take the kick. Fernandes has already admitted once this season that he is susceptible to such dark arts when he missed his penalty at Fulham and it was no surprise when Kelleher became the latest Liverpool-related player to curry favour with his old club and comfortably saved the kick (Henderson, the other, had set up the first goal and had outplayed Fernandes and Ugarte in another dismal midfield outing that saw the manager swap them round).
Fernandes, though, could hardly claim to have been a cool character throughout, having remonstrated for much longer than was necessary in the first half with Matheus Cunha when Cunha decided to take on a shot.
Amorim gambled even more, bringing on Mount and Zirkzee and forcing more players into unfamiliar and ill-fitting roles. Unsurprisingly, it yielded little positive, though in the second minute of stoppage time Zirkzee was found with a cross, and should have done much better with the header, but it was way off target.
The chaos theory was invoked but only left United open at the back, and they duly conceded a third when Jensen was permitted to run with the ball and fire from outside the box to give Brentford another memorable win over the Manchester club. United mustered just three shots in the second half – and one was a penalty.
Considering the context of everything, this was an extremely difficult afternoon for Amorim, who found that almost everything backfired.
Progressively, manager by manager post-Ferguson, there is a decreasing trust in the on-field practice and a proclivity to rely on the gamble for the best moments. That was usually the case under Ten Hag (though he did deliver two trophies) and it has been the case for the sole moment of ecstasy under Amorim, the Lyon game… fortune rather than design. Relying on Zirkzee and Maguire to rescue games is illustrative of an incredibly weak plan A.
There can be no trying to hoodwink anyone with claims that United were brilliant against Arsenal or that the Chelsea win counted for anything considering the crazy circumstances of that game. This was a big test, admitted by the manager himself, and something does need to change.
That something is not the manager right away – but he has to now be brave enough to make those changes.
You could have some sympathy considering the number of managers some of these players have survived… and this is the issue with continual change at managerial level. They come in with their own ideas. Those ideas might not necessarily tally with what you might think wasn’t working before they came in. So your favourite player might go, and players who you might have seen more than enough of get a stay of execution.
This was the case when Mourinho was sacked, when Solskjaer was sacked and when Ten Hag was sacked. This is the risk with change, and a principle reason why so many were reluctant to see changes in at least the first two of those three managers. At least Ten Hag had some credit in the bank in the form of trophies. With each change, the value of the argument for patience in the predecessor grows stronger. That is a luxury Amorim doesn’t have – the only defence is from those who hate to see change, because the results and performances have been catastrophic, relatively speaking.
Can Amorim afford to lose against Sunderland? Can he afford, in that case, to make the same team selections and play the same formation that has offered almost exactly nothing for ten months? United supporters have been incredibly patient, knowing change is necessary.
The manager was right. It was an important game. So there must be consequences.
He surely now must be brave enough to admit what he has tried hasn’t worked. He still has the support on his side – but if it’s the same old story against Sunderland next week, he might find the worm is starting to turn.
Ratings : Bayindir 5, Dalot 4, De Ligt 5, Maguire 4, Shaw 4, Dorgu 5, Ugarte 4, Fernandes 5, Mbeumo 5, Cunha 5, Sesko 5
Subs : Mainoo 5, Yoro 5, Zirkzee, Mount
