Manchester United suffered humiliation in a four-goal defeat against a Brentford side who outfought and outthought them.
Four goals in 25 minutes from Josh Dasilva, Mathias Jensen, Ben Mee and Bryan Mbuemo left a shell-shocked United reeling and unable to respond. Dasilva’s opener inexplicably crept through the gloves of David De Gea to kickstart Erik ten Hag’s side’s stunning collapse.
Minutes later, De Gea tried to play out from the back but Christian Eriksen – against his former side – was robbed in his own penalty area to allow Jensen to convert. United’s inability to defend set pieces was cruelly exposed as an unmarked Mee produced an easy finish before a fourth goal, this time a superb counter-attack from the Bees, resulted in Mbuemo netting a fourth.
Here are five talking points from an unforgettable match in West London.
1. United’s galling away form worsens
Last season, Manchester United finished the Premier League with six successive away defeats. They scored just twice in those games and conceded 17. Nobody thought it could be as bad as that again – but it has become even worse.
Four goals down against Brentford inside 35 minutes was inexcusable and indicative of the malaise that runs through United, where players are unable to cope with adversity or setbacks within a game. They collapse time and time again, with the same situation playing out in West London to the delight of Brentford’s noisy fans.
The last time United suffered seven successive Premier League away defeats was in 1936.
2. Ten Hag’s horror start continues
If last week’s loss at home to Brighton was an eye-opener for Ten Hag, this encounter was enough to show – as his predecessor Ralf Rangnick suggested last season – that this squad needs “open heart surgery”. Perhaps it is indicative of United as a club right now that Rangnick – who had an agreed two-year consultancy role scrapped – is no longer at the club, but the same group of underperforming players remain.
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This was just the second time in Premier League history that United were four goals behind at the break, after their humiliation at home to Liverpool last season. This game was the first time they had ever been four goals down at half-time in an away Premier League match.
The last Manchester United boss to lose opening two games was John Chapman in 1921. He lost the third as well. United have Liverpool next week. Ten Hag must be wondering what he has signed up to.
3. De Gea position untenable
David de Gea made errors for each of Brighton’s goals last week; failing to cut out a ball across the face of goal for the opener before palming the second into the path of Pascal Gross for a tap-in. But those errors were not on the scale of his showing at Brentford.
The first goal which started United’s collapse was him failing to stop a simple shot from outside the box, that could and should have been stopped with both hands. Inexplicably, it went through his hands and into the net. Minutes later, his pass to Christian Eriksen inside the area was swiftly seized upon by Brentford to double the lead. De Gea was weak, flapping and ineffective for Brentford’s third from a corner.
It is unquestionable that he is uncomfortable with and unable to play out from the back, a fundamental for goalkeepers under Erik ten Hag. While his showreel of individual errors grows and inability to command his area from set pieces continues. United must now be on the lookout for a goalkeeper to challenge his position, and fast.
4. Bees show no second-season syndrome signs
Every team looks good against Manchester United, but Brentford will rightly be ecstatic over just how easily they dismantled their opposition. It was an assured performances from the Bees, one of cohesiveness, togetherness and total unity: everything United lacked.
Last week, Brentford came from two goals down to rescue a draw at Leicester and four points from their opening two games has allayed concerns that they could suffer the infamous ‘second-season syndrome’ – having impressed so much in their debut Premier League campaign.
5. Brentford break United hoodoo
This was the Bees first victory over United since 1937 – a long time in coming. Of course, Brentford have spent the vast majority of that time outside the top-flight of English football, but they found last season’s games against United to be much tougher going.
Despite an encouraging first half performance, Brentford slipped to a 3-1 home loss against United before going down 3-0 at Old Trafford. They have had to wait 85 years for a victory over their illustrious opponents, but tonight will feel like it was worth the wait.
