Brentford 3-1 Manchester United deepens Amorim scrutiny as £130m duo backfires

Brentford stunned Manchester United 3-1 at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday, delivering a defeat that deepens the scrutiny surrounding Ruben Amorim and United’s direction under his management. United arrived hoping to string together back-to-back wins for the first time under Amorim, but the mood shifted as Brentford asserted control early and closed out a deserved victory.

Brentford seized the initiative inside 20 minutes, striking twice to set the tone. A long ball forward caught United cold, with Harry Maguire misreading the ball and failing to prevent Igor Thiago from timing his run and firing into the top corner. The hosts added a second when Matthijs de Ligt’s body position let a high ball bounce through, and Luke Shaw failed to track Brentford’s No 9 as he tucked home from close range. Altay Bayindir then had to be at his best, making two quick saves to keep United from tumbling further behind as Sepp van den Berg and Nathan Collins threatened from early forays. Mathias Jensen’s late strike capped Brentford’s afternoon and reinforced the sense of a familiar pattern for United in recent weeks.

For all United’s struggles, it was a sequence of avoidable errors that did the most damage. The first goal came from an attack that broke down and allowed a long ball to release Henderson, but Maguire’s misjudgment allowed Thiago to race through and finish. The second arrived when De Ligt misread a high ball and Shaw did not track Brentford’s hideout No. 9, who slotted home. United were still pushing for parity in added time, yet Kobbie Mainoo’s loose touch started a Brentford break that ended with Jensen’s third. Amorim’s frustration was evident on the touchline as his side slipped further behind.

Bruno Fernandes remained a flashpoint in midfield. He again faced questions about his best role and whether his status as United’s captain and penalty-taker is serving the team. A long VAR delay over whether Nathan Collins should have been sent off hampered Fernandes’ influence, and his ensuing spot kick—after Collins pulled down Mbeumo—was saved by Caoimhin Kelleher. It was another disappointing showing for Fernandes in a season where supporters have debated whether he should operate higher up the pitch, or in a more withdrawn position that critics argue limits his creative impact.

Benjamin Sesko offered a rare bright note for United, opening his account with the club. The Slovenian striker, signed for about £73.4 million, has faced a testing start after arriving without the benefit of a full pre-season tour with a new group. His goal, coming in his seventh appearance and following a previous near-miss, provided a glimmer of hope amid a tough afternoon. Sesko had waited longer than his summer counterparts Cunha and Mbeumo to find the back of the net for United, but his finish suggested the forward’s adaptation might be turning a corner.

The Brentford pair of Cunha and Mbeumo had a direct hand in many of Brentford’s chances, with Mbeumo particularly influential in the build-up that led to the game's opening goal and in drawing the foul that produced United’s penalty. Cunha and Mbeumo’s presence is a reminder of the scale of Brentford’s summer recruitment, a factor widely discussed in the buildup to a match that underscored how far United still must go to re-establish consistency. The day also offered a reminder that United’s options at No. 10—Mason Mount and Amad Diallo among them—will shape Amorim’s plans as he looks to balance a revamped forward line with Fernandes’ role.

As the final whistle blew, Brentford had earned a deserved victory to end United’s winning run in domestic play and extend a run of mixed results that continues to test Amorim’s leadership. United now turn their sights to their next assignment, with a home fixture against Sunderland awaiting them next weekend, followed by a demanding trip to Anfield after the international break. The broader context remains a club still refining a new model under Amorim, with 34 points from 33 Premier League games leaving questions about whether the current approach can deliver the consistency needed to challenge near the top of the table.