Manchester United 2 Brentford 1: Jensen on target in Old Trafford defeat | OneFootball

Mathias Jensen was on target as Brentford fell to a 2-1 Premier League defeat to Manchester United despite a spirited performance at Old Trafford.

Casemiro and Benjamin Šeško gave United a two-goal lead at half-time, but the Bees responded with determination and intensity. Jensen’s late finish set up a tense conclusion, but United held firm to deny the west Londoners a share of the points.

Head coach Keith Andrews named an unchanged starting XI for Monday’s meeting with the Red Devils.

The headline news from Old Trafford was the inclusion of Josh Dasilva on the Bees’ bench. Having battled back from a significant knee injury, the midfielder was named in a matchday squad for the first time since January 2024.

United created two big chances inside the opening 10 minutes.

The first was of Kobbie Mainoo’s making. The midfielder received a short pass from Bruno Fernandes and drove into the box, riding three challenges before teeing up Amad, whose shot was cleared off the line by Sepp van den Berg.

Caoimhín Kelleher then produced a sharp save to claw away Harry Maguire’s thumping header from a Fernandes corner.

The early pressure told. Another Fernandes delivery was headed back across goal by Maguire and Casemiro rose above Dango Ouattara to nod home from close range.

Brentford responded well to falling behind. Keane Lewis-Potter’s low cross flashed across the face of goal, narrowly evading Igor Thiago, before Senne Lammens spread himself to deny Michael Kayode after the full-back had been picked out by Mikkel Damsgaard.

Thiago passed up a big opportunity on 35 minutes. A one-two between Ouattara and Damsgaard had United at sixes and sevens. The former released Thiago with a perfectly weighted through ball, but the Brazilian slipped at the crucial moment and his scuffed effort was gathered by Lammens.

Seconds later, Ayden Heaven made a last-ditch tackle to prevent Thiago from getting a shot away after the striker had latched on to Jensen’s lofted pass.

Against the run of play, United doubled their lead on 43 minutes. Mainoo won the ball on the edge of his own box to trigger a quick counter attack. Driving forward, Fernandes had Bryan Mbuemo to his right and Benjamin Šeško to his left. The midfielder opted to slip in Šeško, who checked inside before slamming the ball beyond Kelleher.

Jensen’s curling effort from 20 yards dropped just the wrong side of Lammens’ right post in the final seconds before the break.

Noussair Mazraoui replaced Amad at the start of the second half as United manager Michael Carrick switched from a 4-2-3-1 system to a 5-3-2.

Within five minutes of the restart, Luke Shaw volleyed wide from the edge of the box, while Kelleher palmed away another Maguire header from Mbeumo’s in-swinging corner.

Under pressure from Thiago, Maguire’s clearance was more up than out and the ball dropped kindly for Ouattara, whose half-volley from the left of the box bounced wide.

Ouattara was denied by the post on 71 minutes. Casemiro’s touch helped Jensen’s corner towards the far post, where Ouattara was waiting to pounce. The former Bournemouth man did well to head downwards, but the ball struck the woodwork.

At the other end, Casemiro’s fierce strike from 25 yards flew narrowly wide.

The Bees pulled a goal back on 87 minutes – and it was nothing less than they deserved.

Substitute Reiss Nelson teed up Jensen on the edge of the box and the midfielder shifted the ball past Šeško before bending brilliantly into the bottom corner.

Damsgaard’s glancing header was held by Lammens as the Bees immediately went in search of an equaliser, but United stood firm during five minutes of stoppage-time consign Andrews' side to a first defeat in seven Premier League matches.

Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Heaven, Shaw (Yoro 73); Casemiro, Mainoo; Amad (Mazraoui HT), Fernandes, Mbeumo; Šeško (Zirkzee 88)

Subs: Bayındır, Dorgu, Malacia, Mount, Ugarte, Lacey

Brentford (4-3-3): Kelleher; Kayode, van den Berg, Collins, Lewis-Potter; Yarmoliuk, Jensen, Damsgaard; Schade (Nelson 73), Thiago, Ouattara

Subs: Valdimarsson, Hickey, Pinnock, Dasilva, Ajer, Donovan, Furo, Shield

Attendance: 73,773

Andrews: We played with purpose and personality

Head coach Keith Andrews was proud of his side’s performance at Old Trafford.

“They started the game fast and we didn’t quite deal with it, but after that I felt we relaxed into the occasion. We looked really good,” said the Bees boss.

“The second goal was tough to take, but such is the nature of the quality they have.

“The next step for us is to add the ruthless edge. We played with real bravery in the way we set up. We played with purpose and personality. We were excellent, it’s just that last bit we need to add.”

Jensen: We were the better side

Goalscorer Mathias Jensen felt Brentford were unfortunate to leave Old Trafford empty-handed after their 2-1 Premier League defeat to Manchester United.

“We didn’t get any points, but we gave it a good go,” he said.

“The feeling after the game is that we were the better side. We controlled most parts of the game and created the best chances.

“I’m proud of the performance. We just weren’t clinical enough, and that’s what football is about.”