Brentford v Manchester United LIVE: Premier League result and final score after Ajer’s equaliser
Erik ten Hag’s side look to boost their top four hopes when they visit Thomas Frank’s Bees in the late Premier League kick-off
Kristoffer Ajer’s 99th-minute equaliser salvaged a point for Brentford in a 1-1 Premier League draw with Manchester United on Saturday, denting the Old Trafford club’s hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
Substitute Mason Mount thought he had given United an undeserved and dramatic victory when he slotted home in the 96th minute after Brentford had dominated the game.
But Ajer smashed home Ivan Toney’s cutback from close range three minutes later to give the Bees a point which sees them remain in 15th, five points above the relegation zone.
United remain in sixth, 11 points off fourth-placed Aston Villa and eight off Tottenham Hotspur in fifth, a spot which could be enough for Champions League football next season.
Brentford vs Manchester United LIVE
The Gtech light show is underway and the teams are in the tunnel. Brentford are looking for breathing space in the relegation battle, United are hoping to keep alive their admittedly slim chances of qualifying for next season’s expanded Champions League tournament.
How the teams are faring
The home side have been in poor form of late, with a 2-2 draw at home to Chelsea bookended by narrow losses to Manchester City, West Ham, Arsenal and Burnley. They’re currently languishing in 15th place, just four points above the relegation zone.
The away team come into the game in mixed form, with their last game providing a thrilling 4-3 win in the FA Cup that booked them a place in April’s semi-finals. In their last five games they’ve also beaten Everton and Nottingham Forest and lost to Fulham and Manchester City. They sit in sixth, nine points behind Spurs, who won 2-1 against Luton earlier today.
Brentford vs Manchester United LIVE
These two sides have only met six times since 1947, with no meetings between 1975 and 2022. United have won four of the five meetings since Brentford were promoted, though Erik ten Hag’s tenure began with a famous 4-0 defeat at the Gtech.
Earlier this season, United won 2-1 after coming from behind, with McTominay grabbing a 97th minute winner.
Erik ten Hag reacts to Manchester United speculation over his future as manager
Erik ten Hag says he does not care about speculation regarding his future as Manchester United manager.
A promising first season saw Carabao Cup glory followed by finishing third in the Premier League and runners-up in the FA Cup, but things have gone off track this term.
United face a fight for Champions League qualification as the campaign enters the final straight, with the stunning 4-3 FA Cup quarter-final extra-time win against rivals Liverpool breathing new life into the team. A Wembley semi against Coventry is the reward but that result did not stop talk about Ten Hag’s future during the international break as ambitious Ineos consider their options.
England boss Gareth Southgate was linked to the United job but said such talk was “completely disrespectful”, although the Dutchman appears unmoved.
“You know when you are working at Man United there will always be noise, rumours around the club, the manager, the players, whatever,” Ten Hag said. “There will always (an) issue – you like it, to talk about. Of course we have different interests, but we are not focusing on that.
“We are focusing on the process, we are focusing on the team to play better, to improve the way of play, so I don’t care about (it).”
Manchester United fans risk being stranded after kick-off time change
Manchester United fans spoke out in anger against the decision to move their Premier League match against Brentford tonight to the late kick-off time.
The match is due to kick-off at the Gtech Community Stadium at 8pm GMT.
The kick-off time is just two minutes before the last train is scheduled to depart London St Pancras for Manchester Piccadilly. London Euston is not in service this weekend because of engineering works between London and Milton Keynes.
The day after the game on Sunday there are also no direct services between London and Manchester, with almost all journeys scheduled to take well over three hours.
Drivers and rail passengers have already been warned of huge delays this bank holiday weekend, worsened by extreme weather triggering mass train cancellations.
Full story:
Why Manchester United fans have been left fuming by Brentford kick-off time
Manchester United fans responded in anger over late kick off time
Team news
For Brentford, there are two changes from the side that lost 2-1 to Burnley last time out. Keane Lewis-Potter and Yehor Yarmoliuk come in for Frank Onyeka and Sergio Reguilon.
The away side are unchanged from the team that beat Liverpool in the FA Cup, with Lisandro Martinez on the bench for the first time in almost two months.
Team news
Here’s how the two teams line up.
BRENTFORD XI: Flekken; Ajer, Zanka, Collins; Roerslev, Lewis-Potter, Janelt, Yarmoliuk, Jensen; Wissa, Toney.
SUBS: Strakosha, Maupay, Ghoddos, Onyeka, Mbeumo, Damsgaard, Baptiste, Trevitt, Ji-soo.
MANCHESTER UNITED XI: Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Lindelof, Dalot; Mainoo, McTominay, Fernandes; Rashford, Hojlund, Garnacho.
SUBS: Heaton, Kambwala, Maguire, Martinez, Amrabat, Casemiro, Eriksen, Mount, Antony.
Brentford v Manchester United
An hour until kick-off at the Gtech. Confirmed line-ups and team news is about to land...
Brentford vs Manchester United: Predicted line ups
Here is a look at how the two sides could line up tonight at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Brentford XI: Flekken, Jorgensen, Ajer, Collings, Roerslev, Onyeka, Jensen, Janelt, Maupay, Toney, Wissa.
Manchester United XI: Onana, Dalot, Lindelof, Varane, Wan-Bissaka, McTominay, Mainoo, Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford, Hojlund.
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