Manchester United’s Portuguese head coach, Ruben Amorim, reacts in his seat during the English Premier League football match between Brentford and Manchester United at the Gtech Community Stadium in London on September 27, 2025. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP)
Manchester United endured a painful 3-1 loss to Brentford on Saturday, increasing the pressure on struggling manager Ruben Amorim after Bruno Fernandes missed a crucial penalty.
Amorim’s team suffered from a shaky defensive display as Thiago struck twice within the first 20 minutes, capitalizing on United’s disorganized backline.
Manchester United’s Slovenian forward Benjamin Sesko pulled one back before halftime, netting his first goal for the club.
However, Fernandes missed a golden chance to equalize late in the second half when his tame penalty was saved by Caoimhin Kelleher. Mathias Jensen then sealed Brentford’s victory in stoppage time.
Amorim came into the match hoping to secure back-to-back Premier League wins but instead left the pitch amid growing doubts about his future since taking over from Erik ten Hag last November.
United’s inconsistent start—three losses from six league games and sitting 13th—has intensified calls for change.
The humiliating League Cup exit to fourth-tier Grimsby in August, coupled with Amorim’s own admission of struggling with his players, has left the 40-year-old under immense pressure.
Despite a recent win over Chelsea offering some respite, defeat to a Brentford side managed by the inexperienced Keith Andrews, who had lost three of their first five games, was a significant setback.
Reports suggest that United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe had recently backed Amorim during a training ground meeting, but such support may wane after this defeat. Amorim now faces must-win fixtures against promoted Sunderland and then champions Liverpool.
Matheus Cunha returned to the lineup alongside Sesko and former Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo, but United’s woes at Brentford continued—recalling painful defeats including a 4-0 thrashing three years ago and a 4-3 loss last May.
*United’s Defensive Woes Exposed*
The visitors’ frailties were immediately evident when Thiago scored in the 8th minute. Jordan Henderson’s well-timed lofted pass bypassed United’s defense, and despite Harry Maguire’s offside appeal, Thiago finished confidently inside the penalty area.
Brentford doubled their lead in the 20th minute as Thiago flicked the ball to Kevin Schade, whose shot was parried by Altay Bayindir only for Thiago to score from close range.
Thiago, signed from Club Brugge to replace Bryan Mbeumo, now has five goals this season, while United’s leading scorer last term has managed just two.
Sesko, who had struggled since his move from Leipzig, finally showed promise in the 26th minute. After a chaotic sequence involving Patrick Dorgu’s cross and Kelleher’s initial save, Sesko found the net on the rebound.
Despite this, United’s shaky defending nearly cost them again when Diogo Dalot’s weak challenge allowed Kevin Schade to set up Dango Ouattara, whose low shot Bayindir did well to save.
A penalty awarded after Nathan Collins pulled Mbeumo back in the 75th minute offered United hope, but after a lengthy VAR review and multiple substitutions, Fernandes’s weak penalty was easily stopped by Kelleher.
