Brentford were beaten 2-1 at Manchester United, with missed chances proving costly despite Mathias Jensen’s late goal.
Brentford’s winless run continued with a 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford, where the margin between taking something from the game and leaving empty-handed came down to moments in front of goal.
Keith Andrews’ side were competitive and created openings, particularly in the first half, but could not convert them. Mathias Jensen’s late strike reduced the deficit, but earlier chances, most notably for Igor Thiago, defined the outcome.
Here are the Brentford player ratings.
Caoimhin Kelleher – 6
Little he could do about either goal. Handled routine situations well but was exposed by the quality of United’s finishing.
Michael Kayode – 6
Energetic down the right and got into advanced areas, reflected in his attacking numbers. Lacked consistency.
Nathan Collins – 6
Strong physically for most of the game, but two late fouls on Casemiro halted promising Brentford attacks at a crucial stage. Those moments summed up a difficult ending.
Sepp van den Berg – 6
Strong physically for most of the game, but two late fouls on Casemiro halted promising Brentford attacks at a crucial stage. Those moments summed up a difficult ending.
Keane Lewis-Potter – 6
Worked hard on both sides of the ball. Offered width but struggled to produce a defining moment in the final third.
Yehor Yarmoliuk – 6
Covered ground well and contributed defensively. Kept things simple but didn’t impose himself on the game in possession.
Mathias Jensen – 8
Brentford’s standout player. Took his goal well and was involved in several of the team’s best attacking moments, including the pass that led to Thiago’s second big chance.
Mikkel Damsgaard – 7
Creative and intelligent throughout. His link-up play, particularly in the move with Ouattara, created Brentford’s best first-half opening.
Dango Ouattara – 6
Involved in Brentford’s most dangerous attacking move, combining well with Damsgaard to open up the defence. Could not convert promising positions into end product.
Kevin Schade – 6
Provided energy and direct running from the start. Looked to stretch the game but lacked end product.
Igor Thiago – 5
The defining figure in Brentford’s attacking frustration. On 35 minutes, he was played through after a well-worked move involving Ouattara and Damsgaard but slipped at the crucial moment, allowing the goalkeeper to gather his effort. Seconds later, he was again in behind from Jensen’s lofted pass, only for Ayden Heaven to make a last-ditch tackle that diverted the ball away and forced a save. Found space consistently but could not turn it into a goal.
Substitutes
Reiss Nelson – 7
Positive impact after coming on. Added energy and helped Brentford apply pressure late in the game.
Brentford created enough to take something from the match, but the difference was efficiency. United took their chances, Brentford did not, and that ultimately decided the result.