A Tale of Two Halves: Man United's Nightmare Start at Brentford
Man United fans were hoping for a fresh start under Erik ten Hag, but the Premier League opener against Brentford was a painful reminder of the struggles of last season. It was a game of two halves, with Brentford dominating the first and Man United showing some fight in the second. But ultimately, the Bees stung the Red Devils with a convincing 4-0 victory.
A First Half Disaster
From the get-go, it was clear that Man United were off the pace. Brentford pressed high, closed down space, and exploited the Red Devils' defensive weaknesses. Christian Eriksen, making his return to the Premier League, looked dangerous from the start. He set up Josh Dasilva for the first goal, then Mathias Jensen added a second just before the break. The Red Devils were in a deep hole and looked completely lost.
Fighting Back, but Too Little, Too Late
The second half brought some improvement from Man United. Cristiano Ronaldo entered the fray and Anthony Martial looked lively, but it was too little, too late. Brentford added two more goals, with Ben Mee and Bryan Mbeumo getting on the scoresheet. David de Gea, the United goalkeeper, was culpable for several of the goals, making a few costly errors.
A Harsh Lesson
The 4-0 defeat was a stark reminder of the work that Erik ten Hag has ahead of him. The team looked disjointed and lacked the fight needed to turn things around. Man United are in for a long season if they don't quickly find their form. The Red Devils need to learn from this humbling experience and start working hard to improve their defensive organization and attacking threat. It's going to take time, but this Premier League campaign has begun with a bitter taste for Man United fans.