Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes had a second-half penalty saved as Ruben Amorim’s side slipped to a Premier League defeat at Brentford.
United were trying to fight their way back after Igor Thiago capitalised on some shambolic United defending inside the first 20 minutes to give the home side a two-goal cushion.
Benjamin Sesko pulled one back with his first goal since making a £74m summer move from RB Leipzig.
Fernandes was given the chance to level when Bees captain Nathan Collins dragged former Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo back inside the area.
After a delay of almost five minutes, which included a video assistant referee red card check against Collins and Brentford making two substitutions, Fernandes’ low effort was turned away by Caoimhin Kelleher.
Brentford wrapped it up deep in stoppage time when Mathias Jensen drove a high shot past United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir from the edge of the area.
United have not won two successive league games under Amorim, who is coming up to a year in charge.
Watching the game for Match of the Day, former Manchester City defender Micah Richards was less than impressed with United’s defending for Brentford’s goals, which he blamed on Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system.
Harry Maguire was exposed as the last man as he tried to play offside when Jordan Henderson floated a long ball out of the Brentford half, allowing Thiago to run clear for his opener.
Then Kevin Schade found space on the left to drill a low cross into the box which Bayindir pushed straight to Thiago, who finished from four yards.
“Shambolic,” said Richards. “The system is hampering them. They’re not sure where they’re meant to be.
“In terms of the goals, there were individual errors. Maguire was trying to play offside for the first one – there’s no point gambling there.
“For the second, (Matthijs) de Ligt doesn’t know where’s he’s going and Maguire isn’t sure where to position himself.
“It’s 100% confusion caused by playing that system. It doesn’t suit the players.”
