(Brentford-Manchester United 1–1) For 96 minutes it was goalless. Two minutes later, Kristoffer Ajer had saved a point for Brentford.
Sunday 31 March at 01:07
– It was important today. We play an almost perfect match. We clearly should have had three points, says Kristoffer Ajer to Viaplay.
– It is probably one of the best performances I have seen here since I came to the club, he continues.
That Brentford were goalless after 90 minutes was unbelievable.
That Mason Mount scored after 96 minutes and seemed to seal victory for a Manchester United who had been completely dominated was a mystery worthy of an Easter crime.
When Kristoffer Ajer appeared and equalized eight minutes into extra time, the Easter party was complete in London.
Brentford had regularly outplayed Manchester United for large parts of the game, but it took a late, late goal from a Norwegian to secure a well-deserved point.
– If we look at the game as a whole, it was not the standard we should have. We can play better than that. Maybe we didn’t deserve the victory in the end, says Mason Mount for Sky Sports.
– It could not have been anyone other than us who should have won this match. I almost lost faith in the great football god, but in the end he gave us back a little. What an achievement by us, says Brentford-trener Thomas Frank.
– It would have been criminal if Manchester United won this match, says Jamie Redknappformer Tottenham and Liverpool player, on Sky Sports.
Pål André Helland in Viaplay was not gracious about United’s performance in the first half.
– It’s thin soup, said Helland.
After the match, he was no more impressed:
– It was sometimes one-way traffic.
The Manchester Evening News is very critical in its player exchange. Scott McTominay gets a grade two and is called a “free passenger”. The same grade goes to Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
The home team had two in the woodwork before the break, including on the inside of the post, but Manchester United went into the break with 0–0.
After the break, Raphaël Varane never got back on the pitch. He got hit in the first half. Later in the second half, Victor Lindelöf went out with an injury and was replaced by Lisandro Martínez, who has just returned from hospital.
Højlund also got a great chance:
Brentford dominated most of the match. NO team in the Premier League this season has had more touches of the ball inside United’s 16 yards this season than Brentford had tonight. 85 (!) touches in United’s field.
VG’s statistics supplier Sofascore has only once recorded a higher number than that in the Premier League: Manchester City against Norwich in July 2020.
After this match, the numbers show that NO ONE will get more shots on target in the Premier League in 2024 than Manchester United. Brentford had 31 shots tonight, second most in one against United this season.
The United players celebrate Mason Mount’s goal. Soon after, Kristoffer Ajer appeared. Photo: Ian Walton/AP
Brentford had three hits during the game. Andre Onana kept up with some brilliant saves. Ivan Toney had a goal disallowed for offside.