Brentford 3-1 Manchester United: Report, result and goals as Amorim’s side pay penalty

Ruben Amorim and Manchester United were left with a familiar sinking feeling as Bruno Fernandes missed a second-half penalty in a 3-1 defeat at Brentford.

Bryan Mbeumo made his return to west London following his move to United in the transfer window, but it proved to be an unhappy one, with a 20-minute double from Igor Thiago putting Brentford in command.

Benjamin Sesko’s first goal for United in the 26th minute gave the Red Devils hope and they looked primed to level when they were awarded a 71st-minute penalty. However, his 12-yard effort was tame and easily saved, and substitute Mathias Jensen’s sublime strike from the edge of the area in stoppage time made sure of the points for the Bees.

Any positive momentum from their 2-1 win over Chelsea extinguished, United drop to 13th in the table, with Brentford moving above them into 11th.

Brentford v Manchester United

United showed some only promising signs going forward but were caught cold by Thiago, who managed to stay onside as Harry Maguire stepped up while playing a very high defensive line and latched onto Jordan Henderson’s long ball forward before lashing a vicious effort beyond Altay Bayindir and into the top-left corner.

Brentford piled the pressure on thereafter, with Bayindir required to keep out close-range headers from both Henderson and Nathan Collins after Matheus Cunha had fired wide at the other end.

Yet there was nothing Bayindir could do as Thiago doubled his tally, turning home after the United goalkeeper had turned Kevin Schade’s low cross from the left into his path.

United, though, found a way back into the contest through Sesko, who pounced on Patrick Dorgu’s high ball into the box and converted at the third time of asking following successive saves from Caoimhin Kelleher.

Chances were less plentiful in the second half, though Bayindir needed to produce a fine save to prevent Dango Ouattara from restoring Brentford’s two-goal advantage in the 63rd minute following more good from the work from the impressive Schade.

Eight minutes later United were gifted a golden chance for an equaliser when Collins pulled back former team-mate Mbeumo and Craig Pawson eventually pointed to the spot.

But the delay in VAR confirming the decision and deciding if Collins’ yellow card should be upgraded had an adverse impact on Fernandes, whose poor low penalty was repelled by Kelleher.

Amid United’s desperation to find a leveller, they were caught by the sucker punch, with Jensen’s brilliant bending shot leaving Bayindir with no chance.