Manchester United have taken a huge step towards confirming a return to the Champions League after Michael Carrick’s side defeated Brentford 2-1 at Old Trafford
Old Trafford saw the return of a back five, even after the miserable days of Ruben Amorim have been forgotten. But Michael Carrick has proved that Manchester United’s players can play the system, including Kobbie Mainoo.
A major step towards securing a Champions League return was taken by United as first-half goals from Casemiro and Benjamin Sesko put them on the way to a 2-1 victory over Brentford. The Red Devils now just need one more win to seal a return to Europe’s elite competition. While the win was far from pretty, it was crucial.
Injuries were the talk surrounding United in the build-up after Matheus Cunha failed to recover from a knock he picked up late against Chelsea last time out following his winning goal. However, there were positives in the shape of the returning Patrick Dorgu.
Dorgu last played for United in January when he suffered a hamstring injury after scoring in back-to-back games against Manchester City and Arsenal in Carrick’s first two games. United are in an incredibly different space from when Dorgu was last in a matchday squad, with a Champions League return just six points away before kick-off. Though he never came off the bench, it’s a timely return at the business end of the season.
Two wins from their last four games was enough to confirm a top five finish and United fans thought they had the perfect start to that challenge when Kobbie Mainoo glided past four Brentford defenders before squaring to Amad Diallo. Despite Caoimhin Kelleher one of those players Mainoo had taken out of the game, Amad’s goal bound effort was blocked by the recovering Nathan Collins on the line.
Mainoo’s mazy run sparked United off on the front foot as five quickfire corners followed, one forcing a stunning save from Kelleher to claw Harry Maguire’s header from off the line.
And United’s fifth corner after 11 minutes broke the deadlock when Bruno Fernandes’ deep delivery was headed back across goal by Maguire for Casemiro to nod home his ninth goal of the season. The 34-year-old is off at the end of the season but continues to deliver in his final games.
The game started at a frantic pace and continued onwards following the goal as Brentford looked to hit back immediately. Michael Kayode was denied by the outstretched arm of Senne Lammens before Igor Thiago was unable to make connection to tap into an open goal.
Keane Lewis-Potter gave Diogo Dalot the run around on the left while Dango Ouattara powered past Luke Shaw to roll in Thiago, but the big Brazilian stumbled one-on-one with Lammens. Thiago then found himself through on goal again only for a remarkable recovery tackle from Heaven.
The league’s second highest scorer this season had the opportunity to score one of the simplest hat-tricks, only to not connect with the ball three times.
After bossing the first 11 minutes, United were battered from pillar to post by Brentford’s frontline but poor decision making and Lammens’ saves somehow kept the Reds ahead.
United did have the ball in the net before half-time but Amad started his run miles too early and was never onside when Fernandes’ threaded pass found his feet. However, Fernandes did secure his 19th league assist of the season when he played Benjamin Sesko through one minute later. The Slovenian kept his composure and finished well past Kelleher.
Despite being two up at the break, Carrick wasn’t happy with what he saw, and rightly so. United were lucky not to be trailing at half-time let alone be two goals ahead, and in an attempt to correct the run of the play, Noussair Mazraoui replaced Amad to form a back five.
Carrick’s tactical change stopped the game being such a basketball match and cut off the supply lines to the Bees’ frontline while the front three of Sesko, Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo all still looked dangerous.
United took the sting out of the game but had not killed Brentford off when Ouattara headed against the post from point blank range. Another chance for the visitors that looked easier to score.
The back five largely suffocated any passages of play Brentford had centrally, forcing the ball out wide and seeing crosses flung into the United box. It was not pretty at all as the hosts retreated deep into their own half looking to secure the victory.
In the end it took a spectacular moment from Mathias Jensen to give Brentford hope as he slammed an effort from over 25 yards against the post and into the back of the net to make the atmosphere around Old Trafford incredibly nervy.
However, thanks to Casemiro’s theatrics under pressure from Nathan Collins, Brentford couldn’t create another chance to snatch a draw at the death.
United are third – three points ahead of Liverpool and Aston Villa, and crucially 11 clear of Brighton in 6th. Meanwhile, Brentford are without a win in six games and their chances of qualifying for a European competition for the first time in their history are slipping away.