Man United signed off from Old Trafford for this season with a fine 3-0 win over Brentford. Bruno Fernandes scored off a brilliant cross from Anthony Elanga to get back into scoring touch. A narrow offside decision denied Cristiano Ronaldo in the first half but he scored from the penalty spot after a foul from Rico Henry in the second half. Raphael Varane scored his first goal for United at Old Trafford to secure a 3-0 win.
The departing players Nemanja Matic and Juan Mata got standing ovations from the Old Trafford crowd. This is the type of performance that the fans expect consistently from the Red Devils which could have changed their fortunes this campaign. So, let’s look at three crucial things we learnt from the Man United vs Brentford game:
1. Bruno Fernandes Gets A Goal
After the Chelsea game, it was certain that Bruno was the one struggling this season with his performances. In the Brentford game, he seemed to be playing the free attacking midfield role similar to Dusan Tadic in Ajax. This makes us wonder whether Ralf Rangnick is testing this new position for Bruno with the inevitable arrival of Ten Hag next season.
Many pundits have mentioned through the course of this season that Bruno might not fit into the Erik Ten Hag’s tactics. Bruno will definitely not be able to emulate the possession-based game of Ten Hag but given the freedom, he puts himself in great positions to score. It is too early to say anything but with an easier fixture list and more room for trial and error, it would be Bruno’s opportunity to impress the incoming boss.
The problem is he is incapable of masking his frustration and this has led to him making wrong decisions in the game. In Ten Hag’s 4-2-3-1 formation used at Ajax, Bruno should be able to slot in. But he requires that freedom to drive forward while knowing that there is protection and defensive structure behind him. Otherwise, he tends to keep coming back to help out which ruins his natural game.
His flaws have been exposed by a system and approach that demands effort and intelligence on both sides of the pitch from the central midfielders. Bruno has always been a risk-taker, but he offers very little control in a possession-based game and this has been a problem for Ralf Rangnick. With the right system and manager, Bruno is a world-class operator and Ten Hag needs to find a way to bring out the best in him..
2. Manchester United Struggle To Play Out From The Back
In the 26th minute, Diogo Dalot gets the ball and under the press from the Bees attackers, tried to play it back to the keeper. The Man United defender missed his pass to David De Gea by a few yards and luckily there was no Brentford attacker to capitalise. Against big teams like Liverpool and City, they would get exposed easily with these wavered back passes. It is very clear that United need ball-playing central defenders and maybe even a sweeper-keeper to suit Ten Hag’s style.
A stat which haunts the fans is no United defender has played well ahead of De Gea consistently. His inability to communicate with the defensive line and not come out on many occasions to sweep/clear the ball has forced the United defenders to stay back instead of moving the ball progressively forward. Erik Ten Hag might need to completely revamp the defence to suit his style at Ajax with Jurrien Timber, Noussair Mazraoui, etc.
3. Ronaldo Is The G.O.A.T
Ronaldo dispatched his 4th goal in last four Premier League matches to move his tally to eighteen goals this season. It was a classic Ronaldo penalty followed by the “Siuuuu” celebration and this lifted the gloom around Old Trafford.
He has managed to close the gap to leader Mohammed Salah in the race for the Golden Boot. Salah has 22 goals while Son sits second at 19 goals for Spurs. In a season where United have struggled in all departments, it is remarkable how Ronaldo has managed to reach this tally.
Read More:
- Finally Back to Winning Ways as Varane Scored his First United Goal | How United Players Fared Against Brentford
- Crystal Palace Considering Loan Move for Out-of-favour Manchester United Defender
- Manchester United Start Negotiations With Highly Rated Dutch Defender | An Ideal Partner for Raphael Varane
United interim manager Ralf Rangnick commented:
“We were in control for most parts. In possession that was one of our best performances this year. It was the type of performance we wanted to show to our supporters.
“We played with Juan Mata and Nemanja Matic and that gave us some quality in midfield. It was not too easy for Brentford to take the ball away from us. In the first half we played too many square and back passes but in general it was a good performance.”
Manchester United will look to secure all three points when they meet Brighton for the next Premier League game on Saturday. With Arsenal and Tottenham yet to face each other, the Europa League spot is definitely up for grabs. This could be the silver lining in an otherwise underwhelming campaign.
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