In the 17th round of the Premier League, Manchester United visited promoted Mabrentford, with goals from three academy players Anthony Erlanga, Mason Greenwood and Rashford, 3-1 to win the first league win of 2022. United remain in 7th place in the Premier League due to another supplementary match earlier, Tottenham Hotspur, who are 7th in the Premier League, tied with Arsenal in one less game and are behind due to a goal difference falling short of their opponents.
This game, United have Cristiano Ronaldo returning, but Sancho is absent due to personal matters, Cavani is injured in training, and Wan Bissaka is missing the next two games due to illness. The starting line-up was for De Gea, with Dioggu Dalo, Lindlev, Varane and Tres forming a defensive line, McTomine, Fred and Bruno Fernandez in midfield, and Greenwood, Cristiano Ronaldo and Erlanga joining the front.
"Edinson (Cavani) dropped out of training yesterday, he had problems with his muscles and I'm happy that Cristiano (Ronaldo) is back." Lonnick explains, "Luke (Shaw) also unfortunately injured during training, he had a problem with hamstrings. Jaden (Sancho) was sidelined for personal reasons. Scott (McTomine) ended his suspension, so I decided to let him start. The game was not easy to play and Brentford posed a great threat to other teams. We know very well that we must play at a high level physically, mentally and tactically. Against Villa the team did 75 minutes and today it had to last 90 or 95 minutes."
As Lonnick said, Brentford took the lead in scoring with his British style of play. But United gradually controlled the scene, with 70% of the possession, and Erlanga's anti-offside pick-and-shoot, creating a misunderstanding between the opposing goalkeeper and the defender, but unfortunately it was still released. In the 13th minute, United made a mistake in a pass at the back, and after Brentford's consecutive passes, Matthias Jensen shot directly at the goalkeeper, and De Gea blocked it with his foot to keep it. The home team then created a continuous threat through corner kicks, with 5 shots on goal in 2 minutes.
The two sides entered a standoff phase, and Dalo's long-range shot was quite wonderful, but slightly offside the right upright. In the 32nd minute, De Gea once again saved the savior, Brentford once again played a wonderful counter-attack, Jensen faced De Gea directly for the second time, his low shot was still deflected by "Daddy Duck" with his feet. In the first half, although United had the ball, they did not shoot right over the goal, and the two sides temporarily drew 0-0.
United's attack was more succinct at the start of the second half, with Ronaldo firing consecutive shots, one of which received a cross from the right at the back post and the header went off the crossbar.
In the 55th minute, United scored the goal for the first time and scored directly, Fred crossed the top diagonally, Erlanga stopped the ball high, goalkeeper Roche did not strike in time, Erlanga headed in, Manchester United 1-0 Brentford.
It was Ellanga's first goal of the season, while assists Fred has scored four goals (1 goal and 3 assists) in the last seven Premier League games, equalling the previous 86 league games (3 goals and 1 assist).
United stepped up their attack after taking the lead, and McTomine's long-range shot was saved by the goalkeeper. Brentford had to press in for an equaliser, which gave United a chance to strike back quickly. In the 63rd minute, McTomine broke the ball at the back, C Ronaldo had a wonderful chest ferry, B Fei went to the meeting, selflessly crossed in the box, Greenwood pushed the empty goal, Manchester United led 2-0. It was Greenwood's fifth goal of the season, ending a six-game no-goal slump.
Lonnick replaced Rashford and Ronaldo with Rashford and Maguire, played three centre-backs to strengthen the high ball defense, and maintained the counter-attack with the speed of Master La and Eranga. Cristiano Ronaldo is not very happy after being replaced, but Manchester United still have to play West Ham on Saturday and he needs to maintain physical strength.
In the 76th minute, McTomine broke the ball again in midfield, Fernandez got the ball and passed it to the right, Rashford shot from a tight angle into the near corner, breaking the 11-goal drought, and Manchester United sealed the victory 3-0.
Marcus Rashford became the third United player in franchise history to score 10 goals in the Premier League as a substitute, behind Only Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (17 goals) and Hernandez (14 goals). B Fee completed the assist twice, which was the third time he had assisted two or more in a single game in the Premier League, and the league had no right in the same period.
But United still failed to keep a clean sheet, in the 85th minute Brentford pulled a goal back, Sorensen threw the ball out of the right to create chaos, Maguire failed to clear the line, Ivan Tony pushed the empty goal inside the penalty area, Brentford 1-3 Manchester United. Nemanja Matic then replaced the injured McTomine, and Fernandez's single-handed shot was too small to score again in stoppage time, but United managed to score all three points 3-1.
United have won 299 Premier League away wins before, becoming the first team to win 300 away from home, far ahead of Chelsea's 259 games. In addition, Brentford Community Stadium is the 60th away stadium in the Manchester United Premier League, and the Red Devils win in 55 of them, second only to Liverpool (57 stadiums win).
United are unbeaten in 13 Premier League visits to London, with their last defeat coming from a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal on 2 January 2020, tying the record of 13 unbeaten games in London between December 2011 and December 2013.
Manchester United have scored all 11 Premier League away goals this season, the highest in the league. United, on Wednesday,61 per cent of their Premier League wins, were 117-72 wins, the king of Wednesday's winning percentage. By comparison, Brentford's last five league games on Wednesday have been 1-4.
It was also the first time since April 1947 that United had played Brentford in the league, when the two teams shook hands 0-0. The last time the two teams met was in the League Cup in September 1975, when the Red Devils advanced 2-1.
In this encounter, United's tactics in the first half were completely ineffective, Brentford's style was fierce, and the front court had speed and height, so it could directly connect with the striker with a long pass from the backcourt. This made Manchester United's high-position pressing impossible to implement, and the eye-catching Lonnick love Elaenga in the last round did not adapt to the opponent's physical confrontation and played a disgraceful role. The Bees made three shots on target thanks to their aggressive playing style and set-pieces, while the Red Devils did not concede a goal thanks to De Gea's three saves.
But Ronnick adjusted in time at halftime, accelerated the rhythm of the attack, and simplified the offensive routine, using two side roads to open the opponent's defense line, C Ronaldo retreated to attract defenders, but the main offensive tactics are actually straight in the middle! Erlanga ran aggressively, cutting through the area behind his opponent and seizing an opportunity to break the deadlock and secure the victory.
Subsequently, United's good counter-attack played well, and C Ronaldo became a bridgehead, cleverly instigated the team's second goal, and executed the manager's tactics well.
The academy is picturesque, and the backcourt de Gea. Although Manchester United won this game, but there are also opponents who lack the ability to seize opportunities and lack of physical strength, the next round of home to meet West Ham, who is currently fourth in the Premier League, must continue to improve. There is only a two-point gap between the two teams and that will be a game that United must win.