Manchester United’s struggles continued on Saturday as they fell to a 3-1 defeat against Brentford in the Premier League. Igor Thiago struck twice early on to put the hosts in control, and although Benjamin Sesko’s first goal for United offered hope, it wasn’t enough to spark a comeback, Softfootball reports
The second half brought further frustration when Bruno Fernandes saw his penalty saved after a lengthy delay involving VAR and Brentford substitutions this would be the uniteds captain second penalty loss in his last three after missing a crucial one against fulham earlier in the season .
Mathias Jensen’s late strike sealed the win for the Bees, leaving head coach Ruben Amorim to deliver an honest assessment of his team’s shortcomings.
Speaking to the press and MUTV via the team’s official website, Amorim admitted that United allowed Brentford to dictate the game and never truly settled into their rhythm, he said;
I think we played the game they wanted us to play, the opponents – really confused: first balls, second balls. If we play the game of the opponent, it’s harder for us. We never settled the game down. We suffered two goals where we knew they are really strong on that, with the long balls. Then we tried to get back in the game. We miss a penalty, and all these moments are a little bit against us. That could change the game, but in the end, we need to – and we should do – better.
Reflecting on these moments, Amorim explained that his side fell into the trap Brentford set for them and failed to execute their own game plan. The Portuguese coach stressed that while the missed penalty could have changed the way the game turned out, United cannot afford to lean on those kind of situations and must raise their level .
The manager’s biggest frustration came from United’s lack of control in key areas of the pitch, he stated;
We need to have those moments for us. In the last game we had that, especially in the beginning of the game. Today, my biggest concern is the way we didn’t settle down the game, to control the game, to play our game. We should do that more in the game.
Amorim said his team were constantly reacting instead of dictating the play, which was Brentford’s intention. He stated that the Reds must rediscover their ability to dominate possession and impose their style if they want to compete consistently.
Amorim also reminded his squad of the high expectations that come with representing Manchester United, he said;
Everything is important in this club. So, it’s not just the games at home or whatever. We need to win every game, and we are not doing that.
The head coach insisted that no fixture can be taken lightly and called for greater consistency. He noted that the club’s stature demands victories across all competitions, and that the current form is unacceptable.
Training remains a key focus, with Amorim revealing that specific preparation had been done for Brentford’s approach.,he explained;
Everything [is the focus]. We are working on everything. We spend all week training one against one, [for] when they kick the ball [long], and we suffer in the same way, so we need to do that again and to be better in the next match.
He admitted that while the staff had drilled the team on defending long balls, execution on matchday fell short. Amorim stressed that the only way forward is to return to those basics and continue refining their response under pressure.
Looking ahead, Amorim acknowledged the pain of defeat but urged his players to quickly turn their attention to the challenges ahead.
[Defeat] always [feels] the same. To lose with this kind of club, it hurts a lot, and we need to think about the next one.
The head coach stated that while setbacks hruts deeply at a club of United’s level,never giving up is key. He encouraged his team to channel their disappointment into a renewed determination to bounce back.
This would be Manchester united’s third loss of the season just after seven games, a frsustrating start for the team and the players, Mathheus Cunha expressed his frustrations after the game,speaking to the press via the team’s official X handle,the player admmitted that they need to be better, watch the full video below;
Finally, Amorim addressed the supporters, acknowlegding their frustration they feel and insisting that actions speak louder than words, he said;
The same thing. When we lose, we say sorry to them, but they don’t want to hear nothing. In this moment, they want to see, so our job is to fight again, to win the next one.
The manager emphasised that fans demand results rather than apologies and called on his squad to respond with performances that restore pride. Amorim closed by promising that United will work tirelessly to deliver a reaction in their next outing.
