Man United vs Brentford LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction
Man United look to return to winning ways as they host European football-chasing Brentford
Follow live coverage as Manchester United face Brentford in the Premier League today.
Erik ten Hag’s team were well-beaten by Newcastle last time out and are now three without a win in the top flight, dropping to fifth place - albeit with two games in hand over Spurs above them.
A return to winning ways cannot be taken for granted though as Brentford thrashed United earlier in the season and look a solid outfit in recent matches too, unbeaten in four and sat ninth in the table. A win for the Bees will lift them into seventh above Liverpool and Aston Villa, while United will go back into third if they triumph.
We will bring you all the action and updates from today's game in the live blog below:
Marcus Rashford is a Man United modern icon after latest scoring exploits
Erik ten Hag dropped Wout Weghorst and Manchester United scored in the Premier League again. That was no coincidence. Without the non-scoring striker, United instead benefited from a forward in increasingly distinguished company. Marcus Rashford delivered their first top-flight goal since 19 February, 45 days earlier, restored them to the top four and gained a modicum of revenge for August’s thrashing by Brentford.
In a tale of United attackers past and present, he finds himself in more distinguished company than Weghorst. The Dutchman lost his 100 percent record – an unused substitute had been an ever-present in the starting 11 across the 19 previous games for which he was available – and retains his 0 percent one, after never scoring in the top flight for his current club.
Weghorst has been an incongruous presence as a United striker. Rashford belongs rather more naturally in a grand tradition. His 121st United goal moved him level with Andy Cole. His former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, on 126, looks catchable by the end of the season; perhaps even by the end of the month.
Manchester United vs Brentford
That's all from us, we hope you enjoyed the game! Until next time, it's goodbye for now.
Manchester United vs Brentford
Three huge points send United back into the top four, only trailing third-placed Newcastle on goal difference. They're also three points clear of Tottenham in fifth, with a game in hand, and will he looking to kick on from a first league victory since February to cement that Champions League place. Brentford meanwhile remain a comfy ninth in the table, well clear of the all-consuming relegation battle at the league's bottom end, and despite this defeat are still within an outside chance of obtaining a European place.
Manchester United vs Brentford
Marcel Sabitzer's deft header set up Rashford's winner, and the Austrian brought an imperious presence to a dominant Manchester United midfield. The on-loan Bayern Munich playmaker had two attempts at goal, one of which was on target, as well as assisting the only goal of the game with his only key pass. Contesting a team-high 15 duels, Sabitzer won 10, including eight of 10 in the air, and came up with possession on three occasions. Ticker.
Manchester United vs Brentford
The final whistle goes, and that first-half strike from Marcus Rashford proves enough to seal the points for Manchester United! Their dominance continued in the second half, with a plethora of chances from Sancho, Rashford, Antony, Sabitzer and Fred going astray. Brentford did have a smattering of opportunities at the other end, with stoic United defence keeping efforts from Baptiste and Schade out, but overall it was a comfortable victory for United, who re-enter the Champions League places as a result.
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