2025-09-27 13:54:57
Bruno Fernandes had a penalty saved as Manchester United fell to a 3-1 defeat at Brentford to put the spotlight back on Ruben Amorim as his search for back-to-back league wins continues.United were 2-1 down as Fernandes waited more than four minutes to take his second-half spot-kick which was eventually saved by Caoimhin Kelleher after VAR checked if Nathan Collins should have been sent off for denying Bryan Mbeumo a goalscoring opportunity.
Referee Craig Pawson’s decision to book Collins was upheld, without him being sent to the monitor, despite the Brentford defender making no clear attempt to play the ball when pulling his former team-mate back by the shoulder.
What do the laws say?
Where a player commits an offence against an opponent within their own penalty area which denies an opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity and the referee awards a penalty kick, the offender is cautioned if the offence was an attempt to play the ball or a challenge for the ball.
In all other circumstances (e.g. holding, pulling, pushing, no possibility to play the ball etc.), the offending player must be sent off.
United had failed to carry the momentum of their win over Chelsea, though, and never convinced with Brentford adding a third goal in stoppage-time through Mathias Jensen to accurately reflect their dominance over Amorim’s side.Brentford were two goals up after 20 minutes thanks to Igor Thaigo’s first-half double and could have been gone in with a greater advantage only to allow United back into the game as Benjamin Sesko scored his first goal for the club.
United were never truly in the game, though, as they struggled on the road again. They are winless in their last eight away league games and are back in the bottom half. And the pressure is back on Amorim.
More to follow.Story of the match in stats…
What’s coming up in the Premier League?
