Brentford 1-3 Manchester United: Red Devils produce a scintillating second-half display after abject first 45, with Marcus Rashford ending his goal drought and Anthony Elanga and Mason Greenwood also on target before Ivan Toney's consolation
- Anthony Elanga opened the scoring for Man United with a smart finish after being found by Fred in the box
- Bruno Fernandes teed up Mason Greenwood after being played through brilliantly by Cristiano Ronaldo
- Marcus Rashford then sealed the three points with an emphatic finish after being played in by Fernandes
- Ivan Toney pulled one back from close range late on but Brentford never threatened to score again
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David de Gea was Manchester United’s best player here and it would be easy to say he was the reason they somehow won. But it is not as simple as that.
De Gea made important saves in the first half at a time when United were again presenting an impression of men who had never met each other before.
Had Brentford — in particular Mathias Jensen — scored the goals their impressive football merited, they may have won and United interim manager Ralf Rangnick would be facing another inquest.
Marcus Rashford celebrates with his team-mates after scoring his side's third goal against Brentford on Wednesday night
Rashford produced an emphatic finish to cap off a brilliant display from the Red Devils in the second half in west London
Rashford watches on as his strike beats the keeper and makes its way into the top right corner of the Brentford goal
However, it was not just goalkeeping that set these teams apart by the end of the night. De Gea had been flawless while Brentford debutant Jonas Lossl was nervous. But it was the quality of United’s finishing that enabled them to take three important points.
Jensen had four chances and De Gea saved three of them, while another went wide. None of the saves were anywhere near De Gea’s best work, though. They did not need to be.
Contrast that to what happened when United eventually woke up in the second half.
Anthony Elanga’s opening goal in the 55th minute was impudent and brave. Mason Greenwood’s was created so beautifully by Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes that he could not miss, while Marcus Rashford’s was delivered from exactly the kind of position that Jensen had earlier allowed De Gea to save.
Proof, then, that United still have the quality to win matches, even if so much of what they deliver is sub-standard.
Anthony Elanga scores Manchester United's first goal of the game against Brentford after being played in by Fred
Elanga wheels away in celebration after breaking the deadlock shortly after half-time at the Brentford Community Stadium
The 19-year-old shows his joy after netting his first goal of the season to give his side an important lead on the night
This is what will sustain their followers as they continue to stumble blindly through this dark period in their history. Equally, it will frustrate them and Rangnick.
United were awful for the first half here. Equally as bad as they had been, for example, in struggling to beat Aston Villa in the FA Cup 10 days ago and drawing at Newcastle just after Christmas.
At times Rangnick’s United, just like Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s and Jose Mourinho’s, do not seem to be progressing.
The flaws remain the same — poor ball retention, lack of concentration and a failure to understand basic positioning. There is also an unwillingness to work hard enough or take responsibility at times.
But a team who can throw all that into the pot and then win 3-1 must have something going for them, however hard they seem to try to bury the individual quality that came to the fore between the 55th and 77th minutes here.
Mason Greenwood finishes into an empty net after being teed up by the dazzling Bruno Fernandes during the second half
Greenwood wheels away in celebration after doubling his side's lead against Brentford with a simple finish from close range
Prior to that, Brentford could have had this game won as the first half belonged to Thomas Frank’s admirable side.
While United laboured, Brentford beavered away, forcing errors, turning over the ball and creating chances with smart passes. If only they could have scored.
It feels tough on Jensen, the Danish player, to load the blame on him. Two of the three chances that came his way in the first half were driven towards the target but De Gea saved both with his feet. The other was blocked by a defender. So, no howling misses there. You just need to be a little better to beat De Gea.
Other players suffered, too. Vitaly Janelt had a shot blocked as United defended desperately early on, then Christian Norgaard should have done better than clip a half volley over the bar.
Ivan Toney (right) pulls one back from close range during the closing stages of Wednesday's Premier League clash
It was exciting and engaging and the home crowd loved it. What it was not was productive and once Jensen had driven another low shot into De Gea’s midriff early in the second half, United responded by pretty much winning the game in the space of seven minutes.
Elanga’s goal was as unusual as it was effective. The pass from Fred into the penalty area was a good one but asked a lot of the Swede.
Reaching the ball before his marker, Elanga’s first touch propelled the ball into the air and he was quick enough to reach it before Lossl and head home. Lossl initially appeared to have been slow but he had not. It was simply smart work from Elanga.
The goal was a blow to Brentford but the second one finished them. Ronaldo’s chested pass in centre field to Fernandes was lovely and, with Greenwood arriving on his right, the pass was perfectly weighted to enable a tap-in.
United goalkeeper David de Gea made a number of big saves as Brentford made a strong start to the game
Ronaldo was to depart soon after and a right fuss he made about it, too.
Having tried and failed to put his coat on, he threw it to the floor and was still chuntering as a combination of Scott McTominay and Fernandes played Rashford through to score high to Lossl’s left.
Ivan Toney did eventually score for Brentford — turning in after some penalty area ping-pong — but by then Frank’s team were contemplating a worrying run that has now seen them take only three points from 18.
But their football here suggested they should not worry too much. As for United, well this is simply what they are these days. Capable of the good and the bad in equal measure.
Cristiano Ronaldo shows his frustration after being substituted by Ralf Rangnick midway through the first half
Scroll down to see how it all unfolded with Sportsmail's live runner.
A comfortable win for the Red Devils.
90 mins: Four minutes of added time.
88 mins: Pinnock rises to meet a corner but can't get enough power on it.
Toney scrambles one in to pull one back.
Surely not...
Game over.
McTominay wins the ball in the middle and feeds Fernandes, who plays in Rasjford on his right.
He finishes brilliantly into the top corner.
Ronaldo continues to complain on the bench. Not happy at all.
Unbelievable.
Ronaldo is off and he doesn't look happy.
He has just returned from injury remember. Maguire is on.
Incredible! Spurs have won it.
Leicester give the ball away immediately and Bergwijn is played through. He rounds the keeper and steals the three points with the final kick of the game.
Spurs equalise!
A loose ball falls to Bergwijn in the box and he smashes home.
2-0.
United break and a long ball is played up to Ronaldo, he expertly plays Fernandes through with his chest. His compatriot runs through and squares to Greenwood for an open goal.
90 mins: Lovely bit of play from Barnes as he drives in from the left before seeing his effort blocked.
Five minutes of added time.
United lead!
It's a lovely goal, too, as Fred picks up the ball on the right and cuts inside before clipping a ball into the path of Elanga, who controls it well before finishing coolly.
Great keeping from Schmeichel as he comes out quickly to deal with Moura's cross from the left.
Chance!
Brentford go up the other and and once again De Gea denies a one-on-one.
Off the bar!
A lofted cross to the back post reaches Ronaldo and he puts it back across the goal, his header coming back off the bar.
Great effort.
Back underway at Brentford.
What a goal!
Barnes is immediately involved as his one-two with Maddision sets the Englishman into the box and his deflected finish gives Lloris no chance.
A fine move.
Winks is replaced by Lo Celso.
Barnes comes on for Daka.
71 mins: A couple of chance for the foxes as Maddison's ball from the right reaches Choudhury on the right hand side of the box.
His wayward shot goers straight back to the Englishman., whose next cross is cleared into the path of Tilemans, who shoots high and wide.
69 mins: Save.
Space opens up for Reguilon as he cuts in from the left and Tielemans slips
Straight at the keeper.
68 mins: A break in play as Lloris stays down after a collision with Daka.
He'll be OK.
66 mins: Tottenham knocking the ball around with ease and it's played to Tanganga, who forces a good stop from the edge of the box.
A couple of big saves from De Gea have kept things level.
57 mins: Save!
Leicester break dangerously and Maddison is teed up in space just outside the box.
He meets the ball with a first-time strike which Lloris parries wide.
Two minutes of added timme.
57 mins: Close!
A ball is cleared into the path of Doherty and his first-time strike flies just wide.
40 mins: Brentford continuing to press United really well.
The visitors are looking increasingly frustrated and we've hardly seen Ronaldo.
54 mins: Thomas is replaced by James Justin.
52 mins: Kane picks up the ball and drives toward goal before blasting well over. Not his best.
50 mins: A less frantic half so far. No chances in it as of yet.
36 mins: Sloppy from Der Gea as he makes a complete mess of a punch clear. His defence clean up the mess.
Back underway at Leicester.
32 mins: Close!
Huge chances for Brentford as they break with loads of space. a ball is played into the path of Jensen in the box and his first-time finish is well saved by De Gea.
The ball is put back in and deflects off Varane and just wide of the goal.
28 mins: Greenwood's ball from the right almost reaches Elanga at the back post but he can't quite reach it.
26 mins: United have found their feet and are starting to dominate the ball now...
24 mins: Close!
Dalot recieves the ball 20 yards from goal and looks up before firing inches wide of the top right corner.
Would have been some strike.
20 mins: United yet to get going. No flow about their play.
16 mins: Norgard should score!
He's teed up in the box by Jensen bt blazes over. Had to at least hit the target.
The referee brings an end to an action-packed half.
Two minutes of added time.
12 mins: Chance!
Brentford open up the United defence as Norgaard slides a throughball for the midfielder to strike. He tries to place his effort in the bottom-right corner, but De Gea makes a fine stop with his boot.
43 mins: Kane lets fly from 20 yards but it's an easy stop.
41 mins: Chance!
Kane should score a second as he's played through but this time he blazes the ball well over.
The polar opposite of that last finish.
Tottenham finally get their goal!
It's world class from Kane, who is played into space on the right. He makes his way into the box before faking a shot on his right and shifting the ball on to his left, leaving the defender on the turf.
He then finishes in off the far post. Lethal.
7 mins: A rather slow start with the home side having the only attempt so far, Jensen firing wide.
How are Spurs not level?
A lovely ball from the right almost reaches Moura running on to it but the keeper beats him to it. It falls to Højbjerg but his strike is brilliantly cleared off the line by Albrighton.
32 mins:
Save!
A brilliant stop from Lloris as he dives to tip Maddision's curling strike from 20 yards wide.
United are underway against Brentford.
Spurs look somewhat shocked by that goal and youy can't blame them.
You'll rarely see one more against the run of play.
Out of nowhere, Leicester lead!
They break and a low ball is played in from the left. It almost reaches Lookmman but Reguilon beats him to it.
However, he pokes the ball into the path of Daka, who puts it past Lloris.
Chance!
Sanchez has to do better.
Reguilon whips a lovely ball to the back post from deep and Sanchez has a free header. He can only manage to put it into the side netting.
Save!
It's all Totten ham and Moura makes space for himself before forcing a good save from Schmeichel from 20 yards.
A reminder that Kane has scored 15 goals against Leicester, four more than he has against any other side.
He could have had two already.
Off the bar!
Another pair of corners for Spurs and they almost make the breakthrough from the second.
It's swung in from the left and Kane rises to meet it with a bullet header from close range which canons back off the woodwork.
He'll feel he should have scored.
Not it's Leicester struggling to get out of their half.
The visitors win a couple of corners. The first is easily dealt with.
Kane heads over from the second.
Spurs threaten again as they break and the ball is played across goal from the left.
Kane can't quite reach it and the danger is cleared.
They've come to life.
Tottenham win a free-kick just outside the area on the left.
It looks like a really promising position for a striker of the ball like Kane but he screws a weak effort straight into the wall.
Off the line!
Spurs go agonisingly close as Kane receives the ball on the left hand side of the area and turns a defender inside out before making space for himself on his left.
He pulls his low strike towards the bottom right corner and it's heading in before Thomas makes a crucial block on the line.
Leicester ion the front foot. Spurs struggling to get out of their own half.
Good move from Leicester as the ball is worked out toe Maddison on the left.
He tries to find Daka at the near post but a defender just beats him to the ball.
Spurs win an early corner but it comes to nothing. Plenty of noise from the away end.
A really good early challenge from Tielemans on Moura to set the tone.
Spurs get us underway.
Just one point separates sixth-placed Tottenham and seventh-placed United but Spurts do have two games in hand.
The London club can climb above Arsenal tonight with a win and close the gap to West Ham in fourth to a point.
United are in a very similar position.
Starting XI: Lossl, Pinnock, Jansson, Sorensen, Canos, Jensen, Norgaard, Janelt, Rasmussen, Toney, Mbeumo
Ronaldo starts!
Cavani drops out while Rashford and Martial return to the bench.
Starting XI: De Gea, Dalot, Lindelof, Varane, Telles, Fred, McTominay, Elanga, Fernandes, Greenwood, Ronaldo
Not long until we're underway at the King Power Stadium.
Starting XI: Schmeichel, Albrighton, Choudhury, Vestergaard, Soyuncu, Tielemans, Dewsbury-Hall, Thomas, Maddison, Lookman, Daka.
Subs: Ward, Jakupovic, Justin, McAteer, Barnes, Perez, Daley-Campbell, Soumare, Brunt.
Three changes from the semi-final defeat to Chelsea with Hugo Lloris replacing Pierluigi Gollini in goal and Sergio Reguilon and Oliver Skkipp coming in for Matt Doherty and Giovani Lo Celso
Starting XI: Lloris, Royal, Tanganga, Sanchez, Davies, Reguilon, Skipp, Winks, Hojbjerg, Moura, Kane.
Subs: Gollini, Doherty, Rodon, Sessegnon, Alli, Gil, Lo Celso, Bergwijn, Scarlett.
And welcome to Sportsmail's live coverage of Wednesday's Premier League action.
Team news to follow with Leicester vs Tottenham kicking off at 7.30pm and Brentford vs Man United at 8pm.
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