Mikkel Damsgaard was one third of an all-Danish midfield trio that barely saw the ball last night — and he summed it up perfectly. "In the first half, they definitely swallowed us", the 22-year-old reflected.
The problem for Brentford was that United exerted unwavering control in the second half, too. As the rain cascaded down here, Brentford found themselves bystanders.
United lost 4-0 at Brentford in August: the nadir of an otherwise positive first season under Erik ten Hag. His opposite number, Thomas Frank, reminded his players yesterday this was a completely different affair — and so it proved.
The hosts may only have scored once — Marcus Rashford's caressed first-half volley the game's only goal — but Brentford were camped in their own half and ended up mere spectators to their own demise.
One could argue it is a compliment that Brentford are even held to these standards. Nine teams are implicated in the relegation dog fight. They are not one of them. Instead, they have played their way into the reckoning for Europe.
Brentford, like so many Premier League teams, like to set up with the intention of soaking up pressure and counter-attacking at pace. That ploy had them 4-0 up on Ten Hag's United after just 35 minutes in August. Why change now?
Yet, United have become a well-oiled machine since then. They choked any potential Brentford breakaways at source, blocking their passing lanes and smothering the Bees in midfield.
Strike partners Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo had nothing to feed off all night and they cut dispirited figures.
"We definitely needed to keep the ball in some more periods of time — it was hard for us today," Damsgaard told Standard Sport. "They did well in the counter pressure, but we still have high expectations for ourselves on the ball. It's not like they didn't give us any space at all. If we were a bit more calm in some situations, we could have played better.
"I think we started to get the hang of it a little bit more in the second half, but in the first half, they definitely swallowed us."
It spoke volumes that their best chance until late on was when Toney blocked David De Gea's clearance and the ball crashed wide.
There was finally a presentable opening when substitute Kevin Schade went through one-on-one with De Gea, but the chance was squandered.
Frank said this could potentially be their "most difficult game of the season". It will certainly have felt like it.
