Brentford vs Manchester United LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction tonight
Follow all the action from the Brentford Community Stadium as the Red Devils look to head back into the top six
Was this the attitude Cristiano Ronaldo demanded? Whatever about refusing to accept criticism, Manchester United’s new generation refused to accept anything other than victory. It was certainly the response, and the result, Ralf Rangnick and his team needed. On a night when they were often second best to Brentford, and mere days after Ronaldo gave such a pointed interview about the attitude of younger players, three of the club’s youth graduates scored to secure a crucial 3-1 win in the race for fourth. The table looks that bit better for United. The mood is that bit improved.
That’s the spirit of youth, that feels all the more special when another new academy player scores. The 19-year-old Anthony Elanga was no mere detail in adding to United’s long list of historic teenage goalscorers, though. He offered the most important moment of the game at Brentford Community Stadium, brilliantly improvising on a hopeful cross to give United a lead they scarcely deserved.
Neither he or the team looked back. They were instead racing away, especially for the two moments that clinched it. Mason Greenwood slid in the second on the break before substitute Marcus Rashford thrashed in to score his first goal since October. The angry nature of the finish made it seem like Rashford was proving a point.
Follow all the live reaction after Brentford vs Manchester United below:
Brentford vs Man Utd: Thomas Frank on facing Man Utd
Brentford manager Thomas Frank says that Manchester United have an ‘unbelievable team’ and even though they have not yet hit the heights interim boss Ralf Rangnick would like in terms of performance, the Red Devils are still a formidable team to come up against. Frank said:
Manchester United have done fine under Ralf Rangnick. We know his philosophy from his time with Red Bull Leipzig. He is trying to implement it with them and make them a more aggressive team. I don’t think they have hit their highest level when it comes to that to be fair.
“They are one of the biggest clubs in the world with unbelievable players. They could have [Cristiano] Ronaldo and [Edinson] Cavani, two of the best strikers in the world, [Bruno] Fernandes, who has been one of the best offensive players in the Premier League over the last 18 months, [Marcus] Rashford, [Mason] Greenwood, and [Jaden] Sancho, who are three young promising players for England.
“I could name the whole team. They then have [Harry] Maguire and [Raphael] Varane, who, when he was in La Liga, was one of the best centre-backs. It is an unbelievable team we are going to face”
Brentford vs Man Utd: Injuries and absentees
Brentford are still missing six players through injury and international duty but Thomas Frank has confirmed that the Bees have no new injury concerns and can use the same squad they took to Anfield last weekend. Expect a similar looking starting XI too.
For Manchester United Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcus Rashford have both returned to training after niggling injuries and could feature tonight. Paul Pogba is close to a return as well but won’t feature for the Red Devils until after the international break.
Anthony Martial missed the game against Aston Villa but is in the travelling squad for tonight’s fixture after positive discussions with interim box Ralf Rangnick.
Brentford vs Man United latest team news
Anthony Martial is back into the Manchester United squad tonight for the trip to Brentford and Ralf Rangnick says any animosity or concern over him being left out at the weekend is in the past.
“From my perspective, everything has been spoken about, everything has been resolved and no need to add anything on top of that,” the United manager said yesterday, without exactly retracting his post-match comments. “I nominated him before the game and he was not part of the group. You can draw your own conclusions.”
Martial has not scored since October and has just the one goal this season, amid reports he’s wanting a transfer away from Old Trafford.
The United boss has also spoken about midfielder Paul Pogba who is returning from injury and out of contract this summer - just like the manager himself.
More here:
Ralf Rangnick’s stance on Paul Pogba’s contract is risky but realistic
Rangnick says Pogba will play during final months of his contract, even if only interested in earning a move elsewhere
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