Manchester United suffered one of their worst defeats in Premier League history as Erik ten Hag’s side barely laid a glove on Brentford in a 4-0 defeat on Saturday.
Looking for a response to last weekend’s 2-1 home defeat by Brighton and Hove Albion, The Hag managed to give Cristiano Ronaldo a start, but United were handed only humiliation.
David de Gea was twice at fault as Josh Dasilva and Mathias Jensen gave Brentford two goals in 18 minutes before Ben Mee and Bryan Mbeumo ensured Brentford became only the third player to lose in the first half of a Premier League game against United.
Although the bees couldn’t cause Ten Hag and United any more suffering, it didn’t matter because the damage was already done.
United gave Thomas Frank’s men a helping hand on the set-piece when De Gea inexplicably let Dasilva’s 25-yard effort curl into the bottom right-hand corner after Ronaldo had been robbed.
The floodgates then opened.
Shortly after United escaped a similar situation, Christian Eriksen was brought down in his own box after De Gea’s ill-advised pass and Jensen finished in the 18th minute.
An off-balance Mee nodded in at the back post as United failed to cope with the physicality of the hosts and it was 4-0 in the 35th minute – Dasilva racing into a clearance to play a wonderful pass into the box where Mbeumo was held up. Luke Shaw scores.
The Hag made three changes at the break and at least that helped stem the flow of goal concessions.
United improved as an attacking threat, with Ronaldo presenting himself with several half-chances and Eriksen testing David Raya with a header.
But still, Brentford eased to a famous victory.
