Manchester United sealed a hard-fought 2-1 win over Brentford in the Premier League on Monday night to strengthen their bid for a return to the UEFA Champions League ahead of next season.
The Red Devils have been on a resurgent form under interim boss Michael Carrick, who took over the job following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim in January and need only two points from their final four matches to seal a top five spot.
Manchester United entered the clash on the back of a 1-0 win over Chelsea last weekend and had seen Liverpool match their point tally heading into the final stretch of the campaign.
Kobbie Mainoo showed great balance and skill to evade some defenders before setting up Amad Diallo, whose weak effort was blocked off the line in the opening exchanges of the clash.
Harry Maguire was then denied as Manchester United piled early pressure, before it finally paid off when they took the lead in the 11th minute.
Bruno Fernandes’ corner was flicked on by Maguire, allowing Casemiro to nod home at the far post, as the Brazilian continues to prepare for his departure at the end of the season.
Senne Lammens was called into action as Brentford started to threaten, with the Belgian denying Michael Kayode and Igor Thiago, who was quite wasteful.
Amad then had a strike ruled out before Man United had their second after Fernandes set up Benjamin Sesko for a composed finish following a devastating counter attacking move.
It was Fernandes 19th Premier League assist of the season as he closed in on Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne’s single-season record of 20 with four games to go.
Both sides has chances in the second half but it was Brentford who scored a late goal through Mathias Jensen, setting up a tense finish to the match.
The game ended 2-1 in favour of Manchester United, who cemented their place in third spot ahead of their weekend clash against Liverpool.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
