While Manchester United were celebratingEuropa glory in Bilbaoon Thursday, Brentford’s defeat of Nottingham Forest in midweek had already confirmed the 20-times champions would finish the season in the bottom half for the first time since 1990. Defeat at the G-Tech made it 16 league losses for United, matching the count from that same year of 1990. Not even a late comeback and improvement protected their modesty.
Brentford, after much the betterPremier Leagueseason, were facing a yet more underpowered United selection than normal, even for this domestic season of historic mediocrity. A deserved home victory was secured via a fine headed double from Kevin Schade and Yoane Wissa tap-in following a first that came after some of the comically lax defending that has been a feature of United’s season.
For Ruben Amorim, the focus was understandably on midweek and the Europa League. Despite a 3-0 first-leg lead, eight changes had been made. Senior players selected were for reasons of match fitness, Luke Shaw and Matthijs de Ligt forming a three-man defence with Tyler Fredricson, just 20. With an average age of 22 years & 270 days, Manchester United’s starting XI became the third-youngest Premier League selection on record.
Small wonder they began disjointedly. Shaw, captain for the day, making a second successive start for the first time since February 2024, got in a tangle when heading back a hopefulBrentfordpunt to Altay Bayindir, standing in for André Onana, only to find the Turk had lost the flight of the ball. Then came chances for Schade with Bryan Mbeumo, linked on Sunday with a summer move to United, giving Shaw a torrid time with his speed and movement.
Brentford had Europe in their own minds. Though kicking off in 11th, a path to the continent next season remains open. United had been embarrassed at the G-Tech before, a pre-match video reminding of the August 2022 4-0 crushing dealt out.
It was United, with practically their first attack, who stole into the lead. Kobbie Mainoo sent away Alejandro Garnacho, and Mason Mount made the type of decisive run into the box trademarked at Chelsea but hitherto unseen since joining United in 2023. The £60m man, one of many lost souls in the Marie Celeste that is the club’s recruitment policy, scored only his second United goal. Thomas Tuchel, with whom Mount collected the 2021 Champions League, was watching on with notepad; Mount’s last England appearance was the 2022 World Cup quarter-final.
Brentford, as ever under Thomas Frank, responded positively. Michael Kayode had already made a strong impression when bombing on down the right flank. His aggressive winning of a second ball, beating Harry Amass to a header, set up Mikkel Damsgaard’s shot, which then came off Shaw and beyond the rooted Bayindir.
Amorim’s hopes of avoiding injury were dashed in the moments preceding Brentford’s second. De Ligt hurt himself tackling Yoane Wissa and while he called immediately for attention, Christian Nørgaard was played in by Kayode, the cross stood up for the back post for Schade. De Ligt left the field immediately, painfully, meaning Harry Maguire was called into action.
The jinking wing wizard of San Mamés was soon put through his defensive paces, as Brentford turned on the style, with Schade, the lesser hailed of their attacking trident, forcing a low save from Bayindir. United’s keeper next made a point-blank stop from Nørgaard’s header. Chido Obi, meanwhile, selected to lead his team’s attack, cut a lonesome figure, completing just four passes in the first half.
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Despite the Premier League’s low priority, Amorim made two half-time changes. Shaw was withdrawn for Leny Yoro while Amad Diallo, talisman during his manager’s early weeks in charge, continued his return to action. It made little obvious difference to any patterns of play, most of the action remaining in United’s half, beyond a couple of Mount efforts finding him unable to repeat his previous proficiency.
Home fans entertained themselves with Bayindir’s discomfort as a ball-playing keeper, and either booing or applauding Christian Eriksen, depending on preference, when the former Bee became United’s latest arrival.
Brentford’s third, Schade’s second, came after Damsgaard played in Mbeumo to supply his partner. Schade, who clearly fancied a hat-trick, was due to be subbed off, and a smiling Frank was apologetic when he left the field. It was Wissa, laid up by the still rampaging Kayode, who made it four.
Up in the corner, United’s fans did what their team have been doing for months now, and concentrated on Europe, singing of going back to Bilbao. Their team’s Premier League season has become far too gruesome to even consider. Garnacho’s long-range strike barely broke their choruses though Diallo’s injury-time strike, through Mark Flekken’s legs, raised hopes of a comeback that their confounding team remains capable of, despite so much else being a mess.