“McTominay for Ballon d’Or”, “For lady Cathy Ferguson” – Twitter explodes as McTominay brace seals late Manchester United comeback win
Manchester United snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, overturning a 1-0 deficit to claim a 2-1 win over Brentford in the Premier League on October 7. The win averted what could have been the Red Devils' third consecutive home league loss at Old Trafford, a drastic situation not witnessed since 1979.
The narrative for the evening seemed set when Brentford's Mathias Jensen found the back of the net, 26 minutes into the game at Old Trafford. A defensive blunder, initiated by a poorly executed pass from Casemiro, led to the visitors capitalising.
Victor Lindelof did attempt to intercept Yoane Wissa's pass, but it fortuitously rebounded back to Jensen. The midfielder slid the ball past a diving Andre Onana, much to the dismay of the home supporters.
As the teams headed into the break, a chorus of boos echoed around Old Trafford, as Manchester United's underwhelming performance raised eyebrows. The setback from Brentford's goal heightened concerns, particularly given the Red Devils' recent track record on home soil.
However, football's unpredictability came to the fore in the final moments of the match. Brentford, having displayed commendable defensive solidity for the majority of the second half, witnessed their walls crumble during the dying minutes. Two goals, separated by just four minutes, brought jubilation to Old Trafford.
Three minutes into injury time, Scott McTominay emerged as Manchester United's hero, leveling the scoreline. A determined Alejandro Garnacho outpaced Mads Roerslev, delivering a pinpoint cross to Diogo Dalot. Goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha could only parry Dalot's effort, and McTominay, at the right place, volleyed the rebound to make it 1-1.
The drama was far from over as McTominay doubled his tally moments later. A deep free-kick aimed at Harry Maguire saw the ball redirected towards McTominay. Escaping his marker, he headed the ball past Strakosha, who, despite getting a touch, watched in despair as the ball ricocheted off the post and into the net.
With two goals in stoppage time, Manchester United secured three invaluable points. The result could very well be a turning point for manager Ten Hag, especially considering the mounting pressure he faced prior to this encounter.
Here is how fans on X (formerly Twitter) reacted to the comeback, with one writing:
"McTominay for Ballon d’Or."
Another fan wrote the win was for Sir Alex Ferguson's late wife, Lady Catherine, who recently passed away:
"For lady Cathy Ferguson."
Here is a selection of fans' tweets after United's win over Brentford:
Manchester United's Rashford faces goal drought: Ten Hag shows confidence
Manchester United's marquee forward Marcus Rashford is currently experiencing a dip in his prolificacy in front of goal. He has scored one goal in 11 games across competitions, a stark contrast to his previous season's impressive tally of 30 goals in 56 games.
Ahead of the game against Brentford, Erik ten Hag expressed confidence in the English striker, remarking to the press (via Sky Sports):
"Everyone knows the qualities of him. But if the team is doing the right things, putting him in the right places and we've seen him coming in the right positions, but he's struggling, it will pass."
"Everyone at Manchester United backs him. The team supports and believes in him. I'm sure with that confidence of the team behind him this will change, it will pass."
However, during the Brentford encounter, Rashford's goal-scoring woes continued. Despite his commendable dribbling skills and the troubles he posed to Brentford's defense, he couldn't find the net.
Out of his three attempts at goal, only one tested the keeper, and even then, it was a straightforward save. While his broader contributions to the game were valuable, the persistent absence of goals is bound to remain a focal point of discussion and analysis.