Ruben Amorim slams Man United’s ‘frustrating’ performance vs Brentford

Man United Left Searching for Answers After Brentford Defeat

Ruben Amorim cut a frustrated figure after Manchester United’s 3-1 defeat at Brentford, admitting that his side must improve in every department. The result left United with three losses from their opening six league fixtures, a start that has raised questions about confidence, consistency and control.

Brentford’s fast start

At the Gtech Community Stadium, United were undone by Brentford’s energy and ruthlessness in the early stages. Igor Thiago struck twice inside 20 minutes, exposing United’s disjointed shape and lack of composure. The Portuguese manager refused to single out his system as the cause, instead pointing to his players’ failure to impose themselves.

“When we win, it’s not the system. When we lose, it’s the system. I understand that,” Amorim reflected post-match. “I think it’s more that we play this game like Brentford wants to play this game. With long balls, we kick the ball, second balls, and we never settle down our game. We never play our game.”

Those words capture the reality of United’s performance. Rather than dictating tempo, they allowed Brentford to dictate the contest on their own terms, thriving on direct football and second balls.

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Missed opportunities

Benjamin Sesko’s goal gave United a glimmer of hope before the interval. The visitors looked to build momentum and were handed a chance to equalise from the penalty spot in the second half. Yet Bruno Fernandes’ tame strike was comfortably saved by Caoimhin Kelleher. That miss proved costly, as Mathias Jensen struck later to seal victory for Brentford.

Amorim acknowledged the penalty as a potential turning point but remained firm that United’s issues ran deeper. “We managed to score one goal and then in the second half, I think the penalty could change things. But overall view of the game, we never settle down into long possessions, long control of the game. We’re never there. So, we lost.”

He also noted a key refereeing decision when Nathan Collins avoided a red card for a foul on Bryan Mbeumo in the build-up to the penalty, yet he refused to lean on officiating as the main reason for defeat.

Amorim’s harsh verdict

The United manager made no attempt to hide his dissatisfaction. “We work on everything. The frustration is that every goal, the goals today, we work on that during the week. That is frustrating,” Amorim explained.

His assessment touched on familiar themes of control, decision-making and personality. “We can do better with the ball. We can have more control. We can understand that sometimes, when the decisions are not in your favour, the momentum is not in your favour. We can control the ball. We can settle down the game. And that is something that I know this team can do.”

Yet his most damning line summed up the mood: “We need to have more personality to control the games, calm down the games, and then to play better.” With just 34 points taken from 33 matches under his leadership, Amorim knows that scrutiny will intensify unless performances improve quickly.

Searching for stability

For Manchester United supporters, patience is running thin. The defeat to Brentford highlighted familiar weaknesses, from defensive lapses to a lack of composure in possession. Amorim’s words suggest awareness of the problems, but the bigger question is whether this squad has the resilience and structure to find solutions.

Brentford, meanwhile, continue to show their ability to disrupt bigger clubs with tactical discipline and intensity. United’s struggles will dominate the headlines, yet Keith Edwards’ side deserved full credit for taking their chances and maintaining control when it mattered most.