Striker’s first-half brace and goalkeeper’s saved penalty deny Ruben Amorim back-to-back wins in 3-1 defeat<\/p>\n
Igor Thiago scored twice and Caoimhin Kelleher saved a second-half penalty from Bruno Fernandes as Brentford recorded an impressive 3-1 home victory over Manchester United.<\/p>\n
Substitute Mathias Jensen\u2019s stunner made sure of the points for Brentford in the fifth minute of stoppage time, with the outcome of an entertaining contest having hung in the balance until the final moments.<\/p>\n
Thiago scored a wonderful opener after eight minutes before quickly making it two with a strike from close range.<\/p>\n
The Red Devils soon reduced the deficit through Benjamin Sesko\u2019s first United goal, and the visitors had a chance to seal at least a share of the spoils after half-time.<\/p>\n
Bryan Mbeumo, on his return to Brentford, was pulled back inside the box by James Collins, but Fernandes saw his spot-kick brilliantly saved by Kelleher down to his left. Jensen then struck on the break shortly after coming off the bench.<\/p>\n
The result moves Brentford up to 11th in the Premier League table, level on seven points with United but two places above them due to a superior goal difference.\u00a0<\/p>\n
How the match unfolded<\/p>\n
Brentford hit the front early on when Jordan Henderson\u2019s raking ball from well inside his own half picked out Thiago racing clear in behind.<\/p>\n
After Harry Maguire had been unsuccessful in his attempt to catch the Brentford striker offside, Thiago unleashed a brilliant strike into the roof of the net.<\/p>\n
The Brazilian then doubled his and Brentford\u2019s tally in the 20th minute after Kevin Schade\u2019s blistering run down the right.<\/p>\n
Altay Bayindir could only parry Schade\u2019s cross into the path of Thiago, who tucked in from close range despite the United goalkeeper\u2019s best efforts on the line.<\/p>\n
But United hit back six minutes later through Sesko, who finally beat a determined Kelleher at the third time of asking, with home complaints of a foul from Mbeumo on the Brentford goalkeeper waved away by referee Craig Pawson.<\/p>\n
The hosts had the better chances after the break, with Bayindir producing a fine stop to deny Dango Ouattara\u2019s goal-bound effort, but Amorim\u2019s men were handed the chance to level the game from the spot when Collins hauled Mbeumo back.<\/p>\n
The Brentford captain escaped a red card after a VAR check for the denial of a goal-scoring opportunity, with the on-pitch decision of a booking confirmed as it was deemed that Mbeumo was not in control of the ball.<\/p>\n
But having missed a penalty in the capital already against Fulham this season, Fernandes again failed to convert from 12 yards as Kelleher sprawled down to his left.<\/p>\n
United continued to push for an equaliser, but were punished on the break when substitute Jensen cut inside from the left and sent a fizzing shot beyond Bayindir\u2019s grasp.<\/p>\n
Bees provide much-needed sting<\/p>\n
Keith Andrews had been enduring a mixed start to life in Premier League management, with his Brentford team without a win in the top-flight since matchday two against Aston Villa, but they got their campaign back on track here with a statement result.<\/p>\n
The Brentford boss opted to restore club-record signing Ouattara to his forward line, and that injection of pace had the United backline stretched in the early exchanges, even though it was Thiago who struck the decisive blows with two fine finishes in quick succession.<\/p>\n
Sesko\u2019s goal meant there were some visible Brentford nerves, understandably given they had dropped eight points from winning positions this season, more than any other side in the division.<\/p>\n
But the Bees kept things tight and were able to get themselves over the line here.<\/p>\n
The game should have perhaps been out of sight when Van den Berg failed to test Bayindir on the stretch, before Ouattara squandered a glorious opportunity from inside the box after being found by Schade after the lively German forward had got the better of Diogo Dalot down the left.<\/p>\n
Though hugely thankful for Kelleher\u2019s penalty stop, this is a result Brentford will aim to build on, with their next Premier League assignment seeing them take on United\u2019s local rivals Manchester City on home soil next Sunday.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Amorim struggling for momentum<\/p>\n
Amorim arrived at the Gtech Community Stadium in search of back-to-back Premier League victories for the first time during his United tenure, though the home of Brentford has not been a happy hunting ground of late, and things threatened to get ugly early on.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Thiago\u2019s opening goal was far too simple from a Brentford perspective, with Henderson\u2019s pass from deep catching Maguire napping as he attempted to step out as the last man, and it could have looked much worse for Amorim\u2019s men when the Bees\u2019 number nine notched his brace.<\/p>\n
Bayindir came to United\u2019s aid after producing two stunning stops in quick succession to deny headers from Sepp van den Berg and Collins, though the visiting goalkeeper had perhaps been at fault for Thiago\u2019s second after parrying Schade\u2019s cross back into danger.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sesko\u2019s first goal for the Red Devils since his big-money move from RB Leipzig was one of the few positives for Amorim.<\/p>\n
United huffed and puffed, but were made to pay for their lack of efficiency in the final third.<\/p>\n
Indeed, from Cunha\u2019s saved shot in the 52nd minute until the full-time whistle, Fernandes\u2019 missed penalty represented their only shot on target.<\/p>\n
There remains plenty for the United boss to ponder, with the scrutiny on United\u2019s inconsistent form continuing.<\/p>\n
Amorim will aim to enter the October international break on a high when United welcome Sunderland to Old Trafford next Saturday.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Club reports<\/p>\n