Highlights, report and reaction: Manchester United 2 Brentford 1

Ethan Pinnock was heading in the right direction as Brentford fell to a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United within the Premier League.

The defender’s thumping header put the Bees in entrance through the ultimate seconds of the primary half, however United have been the higher aspect after the break and hit again via Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Højlund.

The guests, unchanged after a 5-3 win over Wolves final trip however with Yoane Wissa among the many substitutes, created the primary opening at Previous Trafford.

Keane Lewis-Potter and Vitaly Janelt mixed down the left and Jonny Evans bought a toe to the latter’s harmful supply with Kevin Schade lurking contained in the six-yard field.

Kristoffer Ajer’s cross-field move offered Bryan Mbeumo with a primary alternative to run at Lisandro Martínez. The ahead superior up the touchline, reduce inside and let fly from 20 yards however his shot cleared the crossbar.

On 16 minutes, Pinnock’s lengthy throw was headed away by Casemiro and the ball dropped kindly for Mikkel Damsgaard on the sting of the world, however his volley lacked conviction and was misplaced within the crowd between the midfielder and Andre Onana’s purpose.

There was a second of panic for the Bees followers halfway via the primary half. Christian Eriksen’s nook, delivered to the close to submit, was met by Martínez and Mark Flekken allowed the ball to flee his clutches. Højlund poked in direction of purpose and Flekken dropped down rapidly to claw the ball off the road.

The keeper was examined once more moments later, diving to low his proper to push Garnacho’s highly effective drive out for an additional United nook.

On the different finish, captain Christian Nørgaard took Mbeumo’s quick move on the flip and examined Onana with a dipping, long-range effort.

On 34 minutes Eriksen blazed over the bar from shut vary, however the referee had already stopped play for Casemiro’s foul on Nathan Collins.

Quickly after, Casemiro was teed up by Bruno Fernandes on the sting of the field, however his shot was wild and landed within the Stretford Finish.

Garnacho then introduced down Rashford’s very good swap and blazed large from the left of the world below stress from Sepp van den Berg who did simply sufficient to slim the angle.

5 minutes earlier than the break, Højlund pulled large having been discovered by Garnacho. The pair mixed once more seconds later and Garnacho’s shot from the same place, slowed by a slight deflection off van den Berg, was parried by Flekken and cleared to security by Pinnock.

Pinnock then confirmed his high quality on the different finish. His early cross was headed effectively large by Schade, earlier than he gave Brentford the lead within the ultimate seconds of the half.

The centre-back pulled away from marker Diogo Dalot and timed his leap to perfection to fulfill Damsgaard’s in-swinging nook with a thumping header that whizzed past Onana and into the highest nook.

The house followers voiced their discontent as the edges disappeared down the tunnel as Matthijs de Ligt had been off the pitch for the set-piece on account of a head harm, however the defender’s absence ought to take nothing away from one other well-worked routine from the west Londoners.

The hosts got here flying out after the half-time break. Simply seconds after Pinnock had prevented Højlund from pulling the set off from shut vary, Rashford picked out Garnacho with a deep cross and the winger beat Flekken with a managed, first-time end.

United and Garnacho instantly went in the hunt for one other, with the winger’s long-range effort following a burst down the left tipped across the submit by Flekken.

Casemiro and Fernandes have been each denied by Flekken as Erik ten Hag’s aspect maintained the stress.

However United weren’t to be denied a second purpose. Eriksen’s piercing move was cleverly flicked on by Fernandes into the trail of Højlund, who superior into the field and lifted the ball over the keeper.

Flekken raced off his line and made a sprawling cease to disclaim Dalot, after the full-back had capitalised on Schade’s slip to latch on to Onana’s lengthy ping.

Casemiro’s speculative shot flashed large of Flekken’s left submit as United seemed to increase their benefit.

De Ligt’s cross from the best broke kindly for Garnacho and the ahead’s first-time effort, once more from distance, was held by Flekken. Collins then made a courageous block to forestall Rashford’s highly effective strike from discovering the goal.

Substitute Yehor Yarmoliuk lashed over the bar after a fast Brentford counter, however the assistant’s flag was raised for a Wissa offside within the build-up.

Fábio Carvalho dragged large after some pinball within the United field, and Fernandes’s shot was blocked by Flekken at his close to submit, as the sport led to defeat for the Bees.

Manchester United: Onana; Dalot, de Ligt, Evans (Lindelof 89), Martínez; Casemiro (Ugarte 88), Eriksen; Garnacho (Mazraoui 90+1), Fernandes, Rashford; Højlund (Zirkzee 74)

Subs not used: Bayindir, Fletcher, Amad, Antony, Wheatley

Brentford: Flekken; van den Berg (Roerslev 86), Collins, Pinnock, Ajer; Nørgaard, Janelt (Yarmoliuk 75), Damsgaard; Lewis-Potter (Wissa 65), Schade (Carvalho 74), Mbeumo

Subs not used: Valdimarsson, Mee, Meghoma, Konak, Trevitt

Frank: Not sufficient of our gamers hit a excessive sufficient degree

Brentford head coach Thomas Frank was upset with the Bees’ second-half efficiency at Previous Trafford, admitting he “wanted extra” from his gamers after a stable opening 45 minutes.

“It was a very good first half, I used to be very pleased with that, I assumed we have been the higher crew in that interval of the sport towards a very good crew,” he said.

“We went 1-0 up, nevertheless it’s so irritating and annoying that they scored after two minutes of the second half – if they do not do this, you do not know what would have occurred. However truthful play to Manchester United.

“I assumed that we have been approach too passive. However we’re at Previous Trafford, they’ve some high gamers.

“After the primary purpose, I felt like we lacked a bit extra character. If we need to win right here, we’d like extra. Sadly, not sufficient of our gamers hit a excessive sufficient degree within the second half.”

Damsgaard: We didn’t maintain the depth within the second half

Mikkel Damsgaard, who assisted Ethan Pinnock’s header in first-half stoppage time, was left annoyed by United’s turnaround after the break.

“It’s disappointing to lose this sport, and that we didn’t maintain a clear sheet and the depth within the second half,” stated the midfielder.

On the nook that led to the opening purpose of the sport, Damsgaard added: “[Pinnock] is superb; when you can hit him, you’ll rating. We’ve an enormous deal with being good at set-pieces and we’ve been in a position to rating from them in our final two video games, which is superb.”