In a surprising turn of events, Manchester United managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat as Scott McTominay, the unlikely hero, scored twice in stoppage time to secure a much-needed 2-1 win over Brentford this Saturday.
The Bees seemed poised to end their seven-game winless streak after Mathias Jensen capitalized on yet another blunder by the beleaguered Andre Onana in goal, giving them the lead.
United, on the other hand, were on the brink of suffering their third home defeat in just eight days. However, the script took an unexpected twist when substitute McTominay, introduced by Erik ten Hag just three minutes from time, suddenly became the star of the show.
Although McTominay found the net three times, his first effort was disallowed for offside. Yet, he managed to strike twice in the final six minutes of added time, ultimately relieving some of the mounting pressure on his manager.
With this win, Manchester United climbs to ninth place in the standings, now within four points of the top four.
Ten Hag’s already challenging task was compounded by a growing injury list in the defense. The absence of Raphael Varane added to the woes of unavailable players like Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Tyrell Malacia, and Sergio Reguilon. As a result, the out-of-favor Harry Maguire was partnered with the 35-year-old Jonny Evans in central defense.
However, it was Manchester United’s goalkeeper, who’s been under scrutiny, that took the blame for the opening goal. Casemiro’s giveaway to Yoane Wissa allowed Brentford to breach the United box. Although Victor Lindelof attempted to clear the ball, it deflected off Wissa and found its way to Jensen. Yet, even though the Dane’s shot was not a screamer, Onana couldn’t prevent it from slipping through his right hand.
Onana, who was signed for a substantial fee from Inter Milan, has been plagued by errors, including their two opening Champions League group game losses, highlighting a lack of confidence that seeped into Premier League action.
United struggled to find an equalizer, with Marcus Rashford’s attempts thwarted by the Bees’ goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha. Rashford, who once scored 30 goals in a season, appeared a shadow of his former self, leading to cheers from the home crowd when he was substituted for Alejandro Garnacho just after the hour mark.
Ten Hag further signaled his dissatisfaction by replacing the out-of-form Casemiro for the second half. Antony made his return to the Premier League for the final half-hour after being absent due to allegations of domestic abuse.
But it was McTominay, a substitute who had been initially denied his moment of glory when Anthony Martial was deemed offside, who emerged as the savior. In a season filled with woes, McTominay’s heroics provided a glimmer of hope, and Manchester United fans are left hoping for a return to their previous glory.
