CRISTIANO RONALDO returned for Manchester United but was later subbed off as the Red Devils beat Brentford 3-1.
Anthony Elanga, 19, headed home his first Premier League goal in the win alongside Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood strikes.
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‘destroyed, killed, smashed’
Brentford boss Thomas Frank had some brilliant words to describe how his started against Manchester United.
He said: “Unbelievably proud of my team. We are the smallest club in the Premier League, Manchester United the biggest.
“We destroyed them in the first half, they didn’t have a sniff, three huge chances and there could only have been one winner of this game.
“They are unbelievably lucky. I know all the stuff about taking chances. They changed the system against little Brentford.
“One of those nights, fair play to David de Gea, if we get those chances again one will go in the back of the net.
“Our intensity killed them, we showed that in the first half, we played the Brentford way.
“Of the three goals, the second is most disappointing and difficult to come back from.
“The way we smashed them in the first half was fantastic, so proud of my team.”
Ron sulk explained
Rangnick watched his veteran talisman moan and groan at being subbed but was not offended.
He said: “It’s normal because as a striker he wants to score goals.
“We have another game in three days time and were 2-0 up.
“I think it was the right decision and then we scored the third goal.”
Rang the changes
The victorious Man United manager was fuming with his side’s first half efforts.
Rangnick said: “It was not a strong conversation (at half time) but we had to change a few things because we were not good in the first half in almost every way.
“Our passing was sloppy, we were not strong enough in 50-50s and gave away second balls.
“In the second half we were more urgent and were attack them higher up the pitch and making the right decisions.”
Rash decision
Marcus Rashford was dropped to the bench but came on and scored.
Ferdinand says: “I would love to know what he was thinking sitting on the bench watching Elanga.
“His answer was the goal, which is fabulous.
“Maybe he thinks he is happy to be taking out the firing line for tonight.
“Or was his pride and ego hurting and he was desperate to get out there?”
Young guns firing
Ferdinand said: “No matter how you play or what form you are in, you still need brilliance sometimes , you always need that stardust to win games.
“Elanga keeps the full-back honest, makes his defender run back.
“It was good to hear him say in the interview that he likes to train the way he plays.”
Elang road to go
Anthony Elanga notched and helped get the win for Ralf Rangnick.
He said: “I appreciate the boss so much, you see the intensity in training and I just work as hard as I can. I train the way I want to play”.
On David De Gea’s first-half heroics, he said: “David is a life saver, one of the best in the world and I just want him to keep doing what he is doing.”
Ferdin-hand it to them
Rio Ferdinand was impressed with how United turned things around.
He said: “You need big players to step up and David De Gea did that in the first half.
“United weathered a storm and were nervy but they managed the game well in the end.
“It stretched in the second half because of good play from big players.
“Bruno (Fernandes) got two assists and McTominay was head-and-shoulders above everybody”.
Brentford 1 Man United 3
All over in West London.
United weathered a torrent of attacks in the first half but get home and dry thanks to Brentford’s misifring midfielders.
Ronaldo is still sat in the dugout complaining about getting subbed – the fourth official has glazed over with boredom (probably).
Brentford 1 Man United 3
94 What a waster
Fernandes gets a free hit but tries to dink Lossl.
Like a Panenka penalty going wrong, the Bees keeper catches the ball and the United midfielder is embarrassed.
Sloppy from the usually ruthless finisher.
Brentford 1 Man United 3
93 The fourth official announces we will see four extra minutes.
Sorensen hurls in another long throw but Matic heads away.
Lossl launches one forward but Varane clears, Wissa and Norgaard try to muster something but are pushed back.
Martin Keown rates dalot as the MotM but De Gea probably earned it in the first half.
Brentford 1 Man United 3
88 It looks like only being a consolation goal for the Bees, they needed it to come so much earlier.
Mbeumo takes a final corner that Pinnock gets a free head on.
But De Gea is able to claim it cooly from the sky.
Brentford 1 Man United 3
84 Toney pulls one back for the Bees finally
McTominay makes one final clearance and goes to ground again, it was madness for him to try battling through the pain with the three points bagged.
Nemanja Matic comes on.
And then the Bees take a corner and Toney bundles it in when United hesitate to clear.
Brentford 0 Man United 3
81 Rock hard Scotsman McTominay needs some medical attention for a blow to his back.
The midfield dynamo has been a powerhouse so far this season and Rangnick will need him.
But with the game won he could afford to rest up and recover properly.
Brentford 0 Man United 3
80 Brentford remind us a little of Brighton last night.
The Seagulls had dozens of early chances against Chelsea but kept missing and looked like they would pay.
Potter’s side got the result they deserved – eventually.
But the Bees are being punished at home tinight.
Brentford 0 Man United 3
76 Rashford fires home after Brentford miss another chance.
Brentford miss chance #36 as Toney fires into Varane.
The early clear-cut chances were all wasted on Toney’s team-mates but he has fluffed his couple now too.
And United make them pay again by racing up the other end and letting the sub fire in from the angle on the right.
Brentford 0 Man United 2
74 Ronaldo is STILL grumbling about getting hooked – while his side is 2-0 up at Brentford.
Rangnick got it, the subs, the kitman, we just saw the tea lady hide behind the dugout before he started boring her with tales of his magnificence.
At least he knows he will start the next game.
Paper over the cracks
72 Ronaldo goes off in a huff, muttering and moaning and slamming his coat into his chair.
Sub Maguire takes a page of note paper onto the pitch for Fernandes to read and eat before it self destructs.
These Rangnick tactcs must be very clever if he needs drawings to explain them.
Brentford 0 Man United 2
70 United are now finding it easy to pass the ball around as the dogged Bees are tiring.
Ralf Rangnick sends on Harry Maguire and Marcus Rashford for Greenwood and Ronaldo.
Ron doesn’t look to happy – but that might be the botox.
Brentford 0 Man United 2
67 Jensen pays for all his missed chances but getting hooked for Wissa.
Thomas Frank has thrown all of his attacking options on.
And it’s not like United have suddenly tightened up – the Bees have just been so wasteful.
Right red Fred
The in-form United midfielder has been involved in four goals in his last seven Premier League games (1 goal, 3 assist).
That’s as many as he had in his first 86 appearances in the competition (3 goals, 1 assist).
He used to be the butt of many good jokes too.
Brentford 0 Man United 2
63 Fernandes could have scored himself after his fellow Portuguese fed him sublimely.
But he rollde the ball across to the young Englishman to finish.
Brentford make two subs, Canos and Janelt off for Baptiste and Henry.
Brentford 0 Man United 2
62 Greenwood scores after a Ronaldo chess allows Fernandes to tee up the scorer.
Totally ruthless.
Technically brilliant.
Game over.
Brentford 0 Man United 1
60 Lindelof blocks a promising Brentford attack and it feels like the home side’s chance has slipped away.
Brentford work so hard that they are bound to tire in the latter stages.
And United still have a few big-money subs they can bring on to stretch the game.
Brentford 0 Man United 1
57 McTominay fires one from range that skids off the floor and Lossl has to parry away for a corner.
Brentford might be deflated after conceding after so many missed chances.
It always felt like they would be punished for fluffing so many opportunities.
Brentford 0 Man United 1
55 Anthony Elanga scores after United are allowed to string a dozen passes together.
Fred carves Brentford open with a beautiful pass and the youngster gets two touches to finish.
He lobs it up and heads it home – his first ever senior goal for the club.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
