Contrasting Emotions: Brentford’s Joy And Manchester United’s Despair

With 34 minutes on the clock, Brentford led Manchester United 4-0. Those inside the Gtech Community Stadium could scarcely believe their eyes. As the net rippled time after time, you could have forgiven Brentford’s fans for pinching themselves to make sure this wasn’t a heat-induced fever dream amidst the British summer heatwave.

By contrast, the misery in the away section was clear for all to see. Manchester United’s supporters had filed into the ground expecting a positive response after the team’s opening-weekend defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion. What they got instead was a total capitulation — a team managed by a new coach but displaying all the old problems that have dogged Manchester United over the past few years.

By half-time, there was a carnival atmosphere inside the ground, which continued throughout the second half as United’s humiliation unfolded before the gathered thousands. You could tell that Erik ten Hag’s players just wanted to depart as soon as possible, to take refuge in the dressing room and try and forget that the previous 90 minutes had ever happened.

After the referee had blown the full-time whistle, and as Brentford’s fans sang ‘Hey Jude’ at the top of their lungs, United’s travelling supporters made their feelings clear. Only a few players had the courage to go over and acknowledge them, acknowledging also that this fresh start under Ten Hag would require much harder work than perhaps was first thought.

It’s hard to begrudge Brentford their moment of glory. After all, they were sensational throughout a match in which they were second favourites according to the Premier League betting odds. A high-tempo, high-aggression style of play exposed United’s flaws, forcing them to make mistakes and gift Brentford the ball in dangerous areas.

Head coach Thomas Frank deserves a huge amount of credit for how he kept Brentford in the Premier League last season, and there’s no doubt that this will be a hugely difficult campaign as the Bees attempt to avoid the dreaded ‘second-season syndrome’.

There is much promise in the way Brentford have started though. Despite trailing by two goals against Leicester City in their opening match, they fought back admirably to rescue a point thanks to Joshua Dasilva’s late strike, and the hammering of Manchester United will instil plenty of confidence within the squad.

For United, it’s a case of same old, same old. The arrival of Ten Hag was seen as a clean break from the turmoil of last season, where both Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Ralf Rangnick failed to strike a tune out of the squad. Ten Hag has come in, and while it’s clear that he is trying to implement a new style of play, it seems as though he is struggling to adapt to the physical nature of the Premier League.

At times against Brentford, United were simply bullied into submission, the 4-0 scoreline representing the chasm between the two sides in terms of passion, physicality and commitment. The rapturous scenes around the Gtech Community Stadium will have been the envy of United’s players and supporters, who have dealt primarily in misery over the last 12 months or so. The match as a whole showcased two teams heading in opposite directions — one fastening in to enjoy the ride, the other clinging on for dear life.