Brentford boost European hopes with win over Manchester United in seven-goal thriller

LONDON (Agencies): Brentford edged a young and much-changed Manchester United side 4-3 in a thrilling Premier League encounter on Sunday to boost their hopes of qualifying for European competition for the first time. Two goals from Kevin Schade guided Thomas Frank’s side up to ninth with 52 points, a potential Conference League spot within touching distance with three games left. United remain 15th with 39 points. “Yeah, I think we definitely have momentum… we’ve had a really good run of games, there’s a flow of playing well,” Frank told BBC. “We need to keep that up. The next one is the most important game and that’s Ipswich (Town) away. It’s already a good season, let’s see if it can be an incredible season.” With an eye on the Europa League semi-final second leg against Athletic Bilbao, Ruben Amorim named United’s youngest starting lineup in Premier League history. Seventeen-year-old forward Chido Obi became their youngest starter.

Luke Shaw was the most senior player in United’s lineup and the 29-year-old nearly gave Brentford the lead with an own goal when he tried to head a long ball back to keeper Altay Bayindir, who was off his line, but the ball crept wide of the post. Brentford pegged United back but the visitors scored against the run of play when Alejandro Garnacho found space on the left wing and put in a low cross that found Mason Mount, who directed his shot past goalkeeper Mark Flekken. Brentford equalised from a set-piece when United failed to clear a long throw-in from Michael Kayode, with Mikkel Damsgaard’s shot deflecting off Shaw for an own goal. Brentford took the lead six minutes later when Christian Norgaard put in a cross to the far post and Schade rose above the defence to power home a header. United were livid, however, as defender Matthijs de Ligt had gone down on the edge of the box clutching his leg after a challenge but referee Anthony Taylor did not stop play, allowing Brentford to score.

DE LIGT INJURY:

De Ligt was unable to continue and Amorim was forced to bring Harry Maguire on while the Portuguese manager made two halftime substitutions to introduce Amad Diallo and Leny Yoro. United had a couple of chances to equalise but they were smothered by the Brentford defence and Flekken before the home side came alive and made it 3-1 in the 70th minute. Bryan Mbeumo delivered another cross to the far post where Schade leapt into the air to score his second header. “Very happy, that is what we wanted. We want to win every game in the end to push for Europe,” Schade said. Less than four minutes later, Brentford carved United’s defence apart with a free-flowing move where Damsgaard and Kayode combined to give Yoane Wissa a simple tap-in into an empty net. United then flickered into life when Argentine winger Garnacho pulled the trigger from outside the box to find the net in the 82nd minute. With seven minutes added on, Brentford fans were biting their nails when Diallo’s shot took a deflection and went through Flekken’s legs to make it 4-3. But United ran out of time as they fell to a club record 16th league defeat in a season in the Premier League era. “There were changes but it’s Manchester United so any team that goes out there that puts on the shirt we need to perform and win games,” Mount said. “I know there’s a big game on Thursday but first and foremost was today. We needed to win the game but we didn’t.”