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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Mark Jones

David de Gea and Christian Eriksen's awkward moment at drinks break summed up Man Utd woes

It was hard to pick out just one moment that summed up the rank inadequacy of Manchester United at Brentford, largely because David de Gea seemed determined to provide most of the them.

The Spanish goalkeeper had a horrendous day in Hounslow as he first let a long range shot from Josh Da Silva slip through his grasp for the opener, a goal which inspired the hosts and got them on the front foot against their remarkably brittle visitors.

And more was to follow for Brentford. Much, much more.

With Thomas Frank's side pressing and getting in the faces of the dismal lime green shirted visitors, De Gea's decision to play a pass out of defence to a bemused Christian Eriksen was soon pounced upon by Matthias Jensen who made it 2-0.

Ben Mee would profit from more terrible defending to make it 3-0 as he nodded in from a corner almost unchallenged by Lisandro Martinez, who got caught under the ball, before Bryan Mbeumo raced through to make it 4-0 in the 35th minute.

A shambolic United were all over the place, and the frustrations were summed up at the drinks break shortly after the second goal.

The temperatures in the mid-30s in west London, Premier League regulations allowed both sets of players to take on fluids during the game, and for United the break provided a chance for the stunned Erik ten Hag to get his point across to his forlorn players.

De Gea was left stunned as a dismal United were battered (Offside via Getty Images)

Not that a couple of them seemed to be listening.

As they wandered over to listen their manager, De Gea and Eriksen were embroiled in deep conversation, with the Dane - who was barracked throughout the match by home fans following his decision to sign for United this summer and not Brentford, where he enjoyed a successful spell last season - held out his hands and gesticulated towards his goalkeeper.

De Gea didn't seem to want to argue with new teammate, surely accepting that he was the player most at fault for what was surely one of United's most embarrassing performances of the Premier League era - on the weekend that the division they have given so much to turned 30 years old.

Eriksen and De Gea were seen in discussion at the drinks break (Getty Images)

Ten Hag eventually gathered the attention of all of his players, and the Dutchman attempted to input a gameplan into his shocked stars.

One never appeared though.

Brentford were simply the better side in every department, and it was no shock when Mee and Mbeumo both struck before the half-time whistle.

United were all at sea, and their players knew it.

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