Lightning can strike twice – even if five times was probably a bit too much to ask for. The run of four sub 90 second opening goals scored by Brentford in as many games finally coming to an end. Like last season, The Bees took a first-half lead at Old Trafford, only to see it cancelled out by the home team scoring two goals after the break.
At least, this time around, there was to be none of the brutal pain that came with Scott McTominay’s late, late rescue mission in the previous fixture. Instead, this one had much more the feeling of the inevitable. Ethan Pinnock’s quite wonderful first-half header in the depths of time added on giving cause for optimism that was wiped out within 90 seconds of the restart.
Presumably, words had been exchanged over the interval. Pinnock’s goal saving tackle, whilst on the ground in the box, a moment of brilliance yet one which had alarm bells ringing. It only spared The Bees for mere seconds. Nobody picking up the run from Alejandro Garnacho down the right as he got on the end of Rashford’s ball over from the opposite flank. Flekken no chance.
United fans finally waking up after a first-half filled only by singing from the visitors. The chants of ‘Football in a library’ and ‘Are you Fulham in disguise?’ finally being given a vocal response. I suppose a cheer is a cheer regardless which of the Home Counties you live in.
With the hour mark passed, United went ahead. Bruno Fernandes, for once on his feet, playing a lovely ball through to Rasmus Højlund. The Dane with a quite exquisite finish that, again, left Flekken powerless to resist. The United fans now fully awake. The tourists having found their song sheets but so late to the party they were still cheering for Eric Cantona.
Brentford made changes. The most exciting of which being the return to the fray of Yoanne Wissa. The lack of a target man something that had been cruelly exposed less than three minutes in to the opening period where Vitaly Janelt’s ball in to the box had ‘goal’ written all over it. Kevin Schade timing his run through the middle to perfection, making the space but rather than finding the back of the net from close in, could only connect with air as the ball went under his shooting leg.
These things happen. Schade has so much talent and his time will come for sure. Yesterday wasn’t it although it wasn’t for lack of trying. The score stayed 0-0 and Brentford had to wait until the final minute of first-half time added on before taking the lead.
Matthijs de Ligt, who had earlier suffered a self-inflicted head injury when ploughing into Kevin Schade – something those in the ground certainly felt he was very lucky to avoid receiving a yellow card for – was asked to leave the field for further treatment after again denying the German. Damsgaard playing the subsequent corner into the box and Pinnock meeting it with typical brilliance.
The big man evading Dalot to power a laser guided header through the United defence and into the back of the net. Onana in goal offered no chance. Bees fans ecstatic. United raging – seemingly unaware of the rules surrounding these sorts of injuries.
Sadly, what might have been ended up becoming another defeat on the road for The Bees. A frustrating record on paper but the reality of the situation being that those four games have been at the two regional power houses in Liverpool and Manchester City along with Old Trafford and Spurs – who had their game of the season against us. Certainly, up until yesterday’s destruction of West Ham.
Concerns? No. Frustrations – a few. In truth, Brentford seemed a bit off the pace. The pretty play in our own half failing to elicit anywhere near enough quality ball into the final third. United were there for the taking but let off the hook by a performance that, in retrospect, was perhaps more cautious than it needed to be.
Next up, the visit from Ipswich Town. As long as there is no reaction following his own injury enforced absence, one can only assume Wissa will start that game. The Bees able to have a more traditional shape and the opportunity to continue a run of home form that has seen four wins and a draw from the five competitive fixtures played.
Until then then, our top five from Old Trafford. As always, five points being awarded for star player, four for second place, three for third etc with the totals added up game-by-game to find an overall winner for the season.
2024/25 Brentford Player Ratings from Matchweek 8 (vs Manchester Utd)
1st (Star player: 5 points) – Mikkel Damsgaard
Let’s be realistic about how far Brentford have come in the last few years. To be disappointed about coming away empty handed from a top flight game at Manchester United is something we’d not have been able to even fantasise about back in the day.
Now we have players like Mikkel Damsgaard. On an afternoon where a few of his team-mates looked a tad off the pace, he once again gave it his all in trying to make those supporter dreams come true. He’s almost a shoe in for ‘top-two’ at the moment and once again he showed why.
No Brentford player was more dangerous when getting the ball in to the box. His dead ball on to the head of Pinnock was met with the finish it deserved. Even Mrs. B alongside me noting in the opening period that, ‘Damsgaard’s absolutely bossing it for Brentford’ as he pulled off yet another piece of footballing wizardry that Harry Potter would have been proud of.
The simple fact being that whatever it has taken for Mikkel to find his feet has been worth the wait. The season he has, to date, been magnificent. Here was yet another demonstration of how.
2nd (4 points) – Ethan Pinnock
Come for the goal. Stay for the defending. We have, presumably, all seen his opener for The Bees. One of those headers that Brentford fans are so familiar with that the technique and timing are made to look way simpler than we have any right to expect.
Put simply: It’s one thing getting close to a dangerous ball in but quite another to then put it away. Ethan made it look as easy as falling off a bike.
Yet if I’m being honest, lovely though the goal was (and it was) his tackling, clearing and shutting down United pressure was what kept Brentford in the game. He had a blinder at Old Trafford last season and picked up where he left off this time around.
The aforementioned second-half clearance was woefully absent when subsequently catching up on Match Of The Day. It deserved appreciation from more than just the Bees’ faithful who made the journey.
It was one of many interceptions he made and, at the risk of going all ‘Dean Smith’, perhaps he deserved more from a performance that saw him end the game empty-handed.
3rd (3 points) – Mark Flekken
With Bees on the backfoot, Mark needed to be on his game. United finished this one with 23 shots of which 11 were on target. Our ‘keeper kept us in it, no question. Kept things close until the final whistle. Was powerless for either goal and, frankly, had the defence not been caught napping on the first I’m not convinced a second would have followed.
That’s football though. You take chances when they are presented and United did that. Thankfully for Brentford, Mark was alert enough to everything else that came at him (even if at the second bite….) that there was always a chance that something might have been snatched from the fire.
4th (2 points) – Christian Norgaard
Sometimes the players are falling over themselves to get in to the top five. On other occasions things are much harder to call as we reach the final positions.
This was one oft those games but I’m giving fourth spot to Christian. Outside of the defence, nobody out passed him – and that’s as much symptomatic of how we looked to play slow, patient build up. Not even Mikkel Damsgaard. Only Ethan Pinnock out tackled him.
It was Christian whom we looked to build through and Christian who almost scored from nowhere in the first half. Picking up the ball from Bryan outside the box, he hit a cross field shot that suddenly had Onana in nets flinging himself to the right to push it to safety.
On an afternoon where there were only those two attempts on target, it was an effort that had a lot to be said about it
5th (1 point) – Bryan Mbeumo
Bryan gets the final spot. He had his moments and did his very best to cause trouble down the right. Sadly, as we’ve said before, he can’t be in two places at the same time.
It wasn’t for want of trying though and, Damsgaard aside, he was the player that looked most likely to create something against our hosts.
Kudos for the effort. Here’s to Ipswich and a hopeful resumption of that bromance with Wissa.
2024/25 Brentford Player Ratings – Top 5 Overall (after Matchweek 8)
All of which means that Mikkel Damsgaard is only stretching his lead at the top of our table even further. Good luck Thomas in squeezing Mathias Jensen back in to the side next week…..
1st – Mikkel Damsgaard (27 points)
2nd – Bryan Mbeumo (18 points)
3rd – Mark Flekken (15 points)
4th – Nathan Collins (14 points)
5th – Christian Norgaard (13 points)
