Brentford tore into a youthful Manchester United side in a chaotic 4-3 Premier League win on Sunday, ending the Red Devils’ momentum from midweek European success.
Coming off a 3-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League semi-final first leg, United fielded their youngest-ever starting XI in Premier League history.
But the gamble backfired as Thomas Frank’s Brentford ruthlessly exposed the inexperience.
The Bees stormed to a commanding lead, exploiting defensive lapses and punishing United in transition.
Despite a spirited late fightback from Ruben Amorim Amorim’s men, including two quickfire goals to pull the score to 4-3, Brentford held on for the win in front of a raucous home crowd.
The defeat is a sharp reality check for United, who remain inconsistent in domestic competition.
With a Europa League final in sight, the result also raises questions about squad depth and selection risks ahead of a packed run-in.
