Marcus Rashford winner helps underline Manchester United change since Brentford humiliation
By Mike McGrath, at Old Trafford
Of the many changes to this Manchester United team since their humiliation at the hands of Brentford eight months ago, none have been as significant as Marcus Rashford’s return to match-winning form.
Rashford played in every minute of the 4-0 defeat at the Gtech Community Stadium when United looked shell-shocked and bereft of ideas. There was even talk of a relegation being a genuine possibility. Rashford, like United that day, looked broken but they are back in the Champions League places and in the driving seat for a return to Europe’s elite.
His winner here took his tally to 28 for the season, matching the best return for a United player since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement. Perhaps one of the only problems is Erik ten Hag’s team being too reliant on their top-scorer.
Rashford was deployed as a No.9, with Wout Weghorst dropped from the starting line-up for the first time since his arrival on loan in January. It was a different system for United but the same outcome with Rashford proving the difference yet again for them.
“He was really muscular, came out of the frontline and we also used him as a target,” said Ten Hag. “Then he was back in the box where we expect him to be to finish.
“It's the truth (we rely on him) but also we know other players can score as well: Bruno Fernandes, Antony scored a couple of goals, Jadon Sancho can score, Marcel Sabitzer can score. What you want as a squad is two players who can score more than 12 or 15 goals a season.”
Ten Hag took big decisions after losing to Thomas Frank’s team back in August, not least building his team without Cristiano Ronaldo and putting Harry Maguire on the bench. The biggest compliment to the current side the Dutch coach has put together is that they are willing to fight to stay in the top four.
Victory was not a formality while United were just one goal ahead against their streetsmart opponents, but there was no collapse on the type of tricky evening where they have come unstuck in recent seasons. The last time they played Brentford, Ten Hag had them in for extra running to make up for the 13.8km more their opponents ran. This time they matched them for effort, now Ten Hag wants to see these performances away from home.
United’s win marked the end of a mini-slump. It was their first goal after drawing a blank in three consecutive Premier League games. While not a fluent win, it will help erase the memory of their flat performance against Newcastle at the weekend.
“We have improved, definitely, but we are also still not there,” he said. “Home games, we show personality and character but away we can't always bring it on the pitch so we have to work on the team. It's the truth, don't run away from the truth.
“You see the approach is changing from all the teams, you go to the end, the points are more expensive in the end, the demands also a certain mentality, and when you don't bring it on the pitch you get beaten. When one or two can't bring this, as a team you have a problem. You saw it Sunday. Today is the performance I expect and demand.”
Rashford’s moment came in the 27th minute when he had a first sight of goal. He has such confidence that he found the net without breaking stride. United’s top scorer this season was actually in an offside position when Antony placed the ball into the penalty area but by the time Marcel Sabitzer headed back across goal, Rashford had cleverly maneuvered himself back into a legal position, before sweeping his half-volley into the top of the net. As he has done so many times this season, Rashford made the extremely difficult look easy.
Manchester United vs Brentford, as it happened
10:21 PM
Match stats: Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
United good value for their narrow win.
10:18 PM
Erik ten Hag speaks to the BBC
"We played very good football, especially first half. Second half was more of a battle. It is not easy against this very good Brentford team to play well. There was passion and desire and we got over the line.
"The first goal is so important and then the game gets easier so you need that first goal."
On Marcus Rashford and his form:
"Great finish. Once again he is on top and in very good form so hopefully he can keep doing it until the end of the season. Keep that focus and those energy levels and then he will score."
10:16 PM
Stat attack: United edition
● Manchester United have lost just one of their last 23 home Premier League matches (W15 D7), a 2-1 defeat to Brighton in August.
● Manchester United have now won each of their last 13 home Premier League matches when scoring first, a run that stretches back to February 2022. They are one of only two teams who haven’t dropped a point from a winning position at home in the Premier League this season, along with Tottenham.
● Since the Premier League returned after the World Cup, Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford has more Premier League goals than any other player (11). Indeed, it’s more than three teams have managed in that time – Crystal Palace (9), Bournemouth (9) and Southampton (10).
● Across Europe’s top-five leagues in all competitions, only Erling Haaland (42) and Kylian Mbappé (31) have scored more goals this season than Man Utd forward Marcus Rashford (28).
● Marcus Rashford has scored 10 winning goals in the Premier League this season, the most by a Manchester United player in a season since Wayne Rooney in 2009-10 (also 10).
Via Opta
10:15 PM
Match-winner and goalscorer Rashford reacts
"We are in that period of the season where every game is important and every game counts so we are pleased to win. Hopefully we can get back to where we were a few weeks ago.
"The important thing is always to win the next game. Everyone is clear that we are not going to play our best every week but there is never a time to drop our standards and we have to keep trying to push each other.
"We were a bit more patient out of possession, we waited for the right conditions to press rather than pressing every ball. We were calm and kept communicating to try and stop the supplies to their forward men."
09:58 PM
Updated Premier League table: top half
United move back into the top four and are level on points with Newcastle, but the Tynesiders' superior goal difference could come into play.
09:55 PM
FULL TIME: Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
A good first half for Erik ten Hag's men with a goal. Brentford much better in the second half, created a few chances and will rue missing them. Not an emphatic win by anyone'e standards but an important one after losing two and drawing one - scoring none - in their last three games in the league. A welcome three points.
That wasn’t easy, but together we got over the line ✊🔴#MUFC || #MUNBRE pic.twitter.com/9zBzHpYtYx
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) April 5, 2023
09:52 PM
90+2 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
Not the best second half from United, Brentford have been much improved and have had a couple of chances.
Baptiste winds his way through the penalty box but can't quite get his feet sorted out to get the shot away. The ball then falls to Toney 20 yards out who tries to float one into the top corner but it goes over.
09:50 PM
90 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
Four minutes of added time. Hickey has a shot from range but it's well wide. De Gea not happy that he was able to get it away, though.
09:50 PM
89 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
Brentford still fighting here and they win a free kick just in their own half. Just 10 seconds of normal time left...
09:47 PM
87 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
United break with Rashford on the right, Fernandes and Martial are in the centre... Rashford sends in a low cross and it is blocked behind for another corner.
Can United find a goal that secures three points? Martinez and Varane go up.
09:46 PM
86 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
Antony, who has been lively tonight, comes off and on comes Lindelof. He immediately has a corner defend, but Varane defends brilliantly with his head.
09:44 PM
83 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
A bit of frustration in the air at Old Trafford, among the fans.
09:41 PM
80 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
Fernandes picks the ball up, stopping a Brentford attack. He finds Rashford in space with a wonderful long pass, Rashford in turn runs into the box, beating Jansson before squaring it to Fred who then fires over from about 15 yards out. Poor.
09:38 PM
77 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
The game drifting a bit now, United have lost the control they had in the first half as things are just a bit more stretched. It's become a bit stop/start too with various whistle blows, fouls, bookings and substitutions. United looking a bit nervier in their own half as Brentford have much more of the ball.
Antony with roughly his fifth shot of the match and this one, from 21 yards out, is not on target either. Off balance and wide.
09:36 PM
75 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
Fernandes floats in a ball to Dalot on the right edge of the box, it's a good touch but he's flagged for offside and there's a bit of exasperation there.
09:35 PM
74 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
Fernandes gives the ball away in his own half but Brentford's attack breaks down. Roerslev off for Brentford to be replaced by Hickey, who gives away a foul almost instantly.
09:33 PM
72 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
Re: De Gea's injury, it might not have been where the ball hit him, exactly.
09:31 PM
70 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
Sabitzer off and Fred on for United as Erik ten Hag makes a change. 200th appearance for the club for the Brazilian. Anthony Martial on and Sancho off too.
09:30 PM
69 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
That minute or two stoppage when De Gea was down probably came at a good time.
09:30 PM
66 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
Baptiste picks up a Pinnock cross and shoots from the edge of the box. It's left to McTominay to block again and, for the first time this match, United are under something approaching pressure.
And now it's the best chance of the game for Brentford! Schade is through on the right edge of the box, he shoots low and De Gea makes a fantastic save to save the goal but then goes down immediately with an injury.
I'll let you fill in the blanks with where the ball hit him but the commentator keeps referring to it being a "brave" save. I'm sure he'd have rather it hit another part of his body but better than letting a goal in...
09:26 PM
65 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
This has been a much improved performance from United after a few poor ones. Still 30-odd minutes to go in this game, though, and Brentford have been a little better in this half so far than they were in the first.
Not hard that, but Roerslev sends in a dangerous low cross but McTominay is there to cut it out before it becomes even more dangerous. Brentford coming into it a little more now.
09:24 PM
63 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
Subs for Brentford:
Off: Jensen, Damsgaard, Mbeumo
On: Baptiste, Dasilva, Schade
09:23 PM
60 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
Norgaard picks up a yellow card for a foul on Fernandes. He thinks he got the ball and maybe he did.
Three subs for Brentford coming up, which I will update you on shortly.
09:19 PM
59 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
Fernandes is booked for a late sliding challenge on Damsgaard. Marginal call but he is shown a yellow card and Brentford have a free-kick.
09:18 PM
57 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
United with just a one goal load and that, whatever "they" say, is the most dangerous lead. They do look about 10 times more likely to score than Brentford at the moment, but that is never a guarantee...
09:15 PM
55 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
United with a bit more space as Brentford push forward. Antony has another crack from distance with his left foot... it's wide. Not sure if it was a cross to try and find Rashford dashing in but the forward cannot quite get there. United creating a few more openings here now.
09:14 PM
52 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
Rashford dazzles in the box with some fleet footwork but his shot is blocked at the near post. He then goes down claiming an arm or something to the face, but it's just a corner.
I'm sure he was caught and I am sure it was painful but it didn't seem like he was asking for a penalty, in fairness. It's a corner, though.
09:09 PM
49 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
Damsgaard holds a charging McTominay back and picks up a booking for breaking down the attack illegally.
09:09 PM
48 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
Brentford put a move together after United lose the ball in midfield. Damsgaard sends a cross in from the right but it's just too much for Toney and it goes out for a goal kick.
Soon after De Gea has a kick that is chased down but avoids embarrassment, the ball missing the goal. A bit of a let-off for the keeper, there.
09:07 PM
47 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
The first two minutes of the second half has been very much what we saw in the first half...
09:05 PM
KICK OFF: Second half
Can Brentford get something from this? A lot of improvement is needed for that.
08:50 PM
HALF TIME: Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
United deserving of their lead. Not a great ton of chances for them but Brentford have offered very little at best.
08:47 PM
45 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
Rashford makes a darting run on the end of a ball from Antony, he stays left and does Pinnock to create a shooting chance. It's from tight in on the left and is goalwards but Raya saves down low and well.
United have been decent, but Brentford have been poor in this half. They get their first shot after De Gea loses the ball. A cross comes in from Jensen and Toney gets his head on it about 12 yards out but it loops over.
08:44 PM
42 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
A second United booking as McTominay is booked for a late sliding challenge on Jensen. That one is fair enough. A bit of rain about in Manchester (surprise!) so the surface is quick slick and players have to be careful with challenges like that at the best of times.
08:42 PM
40 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
Rashford has a low shot from the right corner of the box, a very difficult angle, and it is deflected behind for an eighth home corner, which results in Antony having another shot, this time from straight inside the box and this time it is blocked.
08:42 PM
39 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
Antony nearly ends a slick move for United... but his trademark curler is wide of the far post, again... he hasn't got that one quite dialled in yet.
08:40 PM
36 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
Luke Shaw, who was on a yellow card, is taken off and is replaced by Tyrell Malacia. Doubt it'd have been because he was booked so maybe he picked up a knock somewhere.
08:36 PM
34 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
The game has gone a bit flat now, United shifting the ball from side to side in their own half...
08:35 PM
32 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
77 per cent possession and seven attempts for United compared to 23 per cent and none from Brentford. Fairly representative of the flow of the game, that.
08:33 PM
28 mins - Man Utd 1 Brentford 0
It's not exactly like United have been brilliant, but probably a roughly deserved 1-0 lead. Brentford struggling to get into the game. Thomas Frank said he didn't want to concede in the first 20 minutes and he avoided that, but his team need to find something here.
08:29 PM
GOAAAL! Manchester United 1 Brentford 0
Rashford puts United ahead!
United win a corner, another one, the ball is cleared before Martinez lofts the ball into Sabitzer who heads it down to Rashford six yards out who half-volleys into the roof of the net to score his first in four games.
08:26 PM
23 mins - Man Utd 0 Brentford 0
Dalot shifts the ball to Antony just in the right corner of the box, he shifts the ball to his left foot and curls one towards the goal, but it's just wide past the outstretched arm of Raya.
Shaw then picks up a booking for a late challenge on Ivan Toney. Fair? Probably.
08:23 PM
21 mins - Man Utd 0 Brentford 0
First real chance of the game. Antony cuts the ball back to McTominay lurking on the edge of the box. He strikes through it with his right boot but he can't just keep it down enough as it whizzes just over the bar. Should have done better? Probably.
08:21 PM
19 mins - Man Utd 0 Brentford 0
United win a free-kick 25 yards out on the left side of the box. Sabitzer hits it well with his right foot but it is deflected for yet another home corner. Jansson clears but United come again... still searching for that first real chance despite dominating territory and possession early on.
08:19 PM
17 mins - Man Utd 0 Brentford 0
Brentford have had a couple of attempted counter attacks but some sloppy passing has meant they have not amounted to anything. Mbuemo being the latest to misplace a pass.
08:17 PM
15 mins - Man Utd 0 Brentford 0
United shifting the ball quite well in the middle of the park but struggling to find space in the final third. Quite keen and successful at being first to the loose ball, too.
08:15 PM
13 mins - Man Utd 0 Brentford 0
Toney and Mbuemo link on the left and it nearly leads to a chance for the latter in the penalty box... but not quite.
08:14 PM
11 mins - Man Utd 0 Brentford 0
Four corners for the home side already. Not really a chance to show for it. It took a long time for them to register a shot on target against Newcastle but, fair to say, this has been a far better performance than that almost already. Newcastle are already 1-0 up at West Ham, so a win feels pretty important to United's top-four hopes.
08:11 PM
9 mins - Man Utd 0 Brentford 0
United shifting the ball between both flanks so far. Not exactly "camped" in the opposition half as it were, but that's where most of the action has been. Sancho sends in a cross from the left trying to find Dalot, but it is cleared. United come again and Henry chests it back behind for a corner when he probably didn't need to, with no United player within 10 yards.
08:09 PM
7 mins - Man Utd 0 Brentford 0
A first bit of action in the United half for Brentford, but David De Gea claims a cross quite easily and starts another United attack.
08:06 PM
5 mins - Man Utd 0 Brentford 0
Brentford not getting much of a kick at the moment. Raya claims a loose ball, though, to get some relief.
08:05 PM
4 mins - Man Utd 0 Brentford 0
Martinez sends in a ball to Rashford and Pinnock has to head it behind for a second United corner.
08:04 PM
3 mins - Man Utd 0 Brentford 0
Shaw bursts forward with the ball and has a crack from 25-yards out... but slip as he shoots and the ball balloons harmlessly up and Brentford clear their lines.
08:03 PM
2 mins - Man Utd 0 Brentford 0
United get an early corner and Luke Shaw takes on the right side with his left foot. Inswinger, Varane in the box but Pinnock clears.
08:02 PM
Kick off! Man Utd get the game under way
On they go...
08:00 PM
A reminder of the line-ups
08:00 PM
Nearly time for kick-off
Brentford can get something from this, I reckon. But it's a big ask, United have been in fine form at home.
07:50 PM
Who can forget United's last game against Brentford?
4-0 down at half-time, and the small mercy is that it ended that way after 90 minutes.
07:44 PM
Thomas Frank speaks before the game
We trust ourselves and believe that we can do something. I think the classic one is probably should avoid them scoring in the first 20 minutes and then at all after that. We need to be brave when we have the ball and defend unbelievably well... and then we just need to follow the gameplan.
07:39 PM
Erik ten Hag speaks before the game
Why has he left Weghorst out?
Creativity... and Jadon has made good progress since he came back. He can play the final pass, he can have an action one on one, he can have movement behind, he can score a goal, that's why.
Was he tempted to make more changes after the 2-0 loss away to Newcastle?
It can be the reflex when you play one bad game to swap a lot but I don't think it's the right moment. If it were structural it would be different but I think until now we play a great league, we are in four competitions so we have done really well. It's not a need to change a lot because we are doing well but I think we have to reflect on Sunday and that was not us. We fell back into bad habits and we have to change that, definitely
A response?
Yeah. We have to, it can't be the way we were acting on Sunday – losing duels, losing runnings. We have to be composed, definitely, we need movement but also you need full discipline in defending and in offensive challenges and duels to break a really compact opponent we have tonight.
07:19 PM
The form, last six games in all competitions
Manchester United
L 2-0 away to Newcastle
W 3-1 at home to Fulham (FA Cup)
W 1-0 away to Real Betis (Europa League)
D 0-0 at home to Southampton
W 4-1 at home to Real Betis
L 7-0 away to Liverpool
Brentford
D 3-3 away to Brighton
D 1-1 at home to Leicester
W 2-0 away to Southampton
L 1-0 away to Everton
W 3-2 at home to Fulham
D 1-1 at home to Crystal Palace
League games unless otherwise stated.
07:07 PM
Team news: Weghorst dropped from starting line-up
Manchester United
Starting XI: De Gea, Shaw, Martinez, Varane, Dalot, McTominay, Antony, Sabitzer, Fernandes, Sancho, Rashford
Substitutes: Butland, Lindelof, Maguire, Malacia, Wan-Bissaka, Fred, Pellistri, Weghost, Martial
Brentford
Starting XI: Raya, Roerslev, Jansson, Pinnock, Mee, Henry, Norgaard, Jensen, Damsgaard, Mbuemo, Tony
Substitutes: Strakosha, Hickey, Schade, Dasilva, Wissa, Zanka, Ghoddos, Baptiste, Stevens
06:51 PM
Current top half of the table
03:50 PM
Good evening
Welcome to our coverage for one of tonight's two Premier League games, Manchester United against Brentford at Old Trafford. Erik ten Hag's men have come an awful long way since that 4-0 drubbing last August, which came after a home defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion on the opening day of the season.
However, the past couple of months show that there is still a way to go. Yes, they are a team who won their first trophy for six years with the League Cup, but performances have tailed off a bit and there have also been some poor showings and results away from home.
Sunday's 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United at St James' Park was a good example of that. Manchester United were second best in almost all areas and a two-goal defeat was no less than Newcastle deserved as they took a big step towards their first top-four finish for two decades.
It also showed how much they have missed a couple of key players in midfield, notably the banned Casemiro and the injured Christian Eriksen. Although they are well placed in the Europa League and are indeed favourites to win that competition, they need to ensure their league form does not tail off, having slipped out of the Champions League places.
They have two games in hand on Tottenham, true, but the cushion they had a couple of months ago has now disappeared. This evening would be a good time to get things going again after two losses and one draw in their last three games.
Brentford, meanwhile, are in decent form and have been for a while. In fact, a league table of the last 10 games has Thomas Frank's side in fifth with 17 points – two ahead of Manchester United and with a handy goal difference of plus seven. That run of form has been sustained by good results away from home as well as at home, so you certainly cannot rule out them going back to West London with something this evening.
The game kicks off at 8pm BST and we will be here for all of the team news, build-up and live coverage from Old Trafford.
