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 and has collected a meagre 34 points from 33 league games.

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."

Man Utd analysis: No way back from terrible start

For the second time this season Fernandes failed to convert a penalty that might have given United additional reward.

Whereas he ballooned his effort over the crossbar at Fulham, this time his aim was true. But Kelleher read it and Brentford cleared.

There are complaints over whether Collins should have been sent off for his grab at Mbeumo - the Premier League backed up referee Craig Pawson as it felt the former Mbeumo did not have control of the ball - and the huge delay between the award of the penalty and it being taken hardly helped Fernandes.

However, United need to look at themselves.

Maguire is always likely to try and play safe than engage in a one-on-one foot race, which is why he stepped up to play Thiago offside as Henderson released his pass.

But the defender did not get his positioning right and had no chance of making up the ground as Thiago raced to the edge of the area before smashing his shot in.

That Schade should create the second from a wide position was not a surprise. Brentford repeatedly tried to exploit the space left by United's wing-backs as they pushed forward.

Luke Shaw was fully extended trying to cover the gaps on the left and De Ligt tried to do the same on the right.

United did not have enough manpower, though, and again the focus for a damaging defeat will be on Amorim's refusal to change systems as a winless run in away matches was extended to eight league games, their longest since 2019.

Brentford analysis: Thiago the new hero

This was another great day for 'little' Brentford and their 17,000 delirious fans at the Gtech Community Stadium.

"You should have stayed at a big club" and "sacked in the morning" were the songs that echoed round this atmospheric stadium as they goaded Mbeumo on his return to the club and Amorim, who will not be coming back unless he can find answers quickly to his side's repeated failure to play to the potential created by their price tags.

Injury scuppered Thiago's hopes of impressing in his first season at Brentford, but he is having a big impact now.

Five goals in seven games in all competitions is in line with Mbeumo's 20-goal haul last season.

There can be few more deserving of success.

Thiago's development as a player in Brazil was stunted by the death of his father as a youngster that led him into the world of work when he was only 13.

Bricklaying, carrying fruit, working at fairs and general odds jobs were jobs he did to earn money for his family.

His status as a Premier League player probably means financial worries are a thing of the past, but that does not prevent anyone from feeling happy for him.(BBC)

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