Man United vs Brentford: Marcus Rashford's important goal helps the Red Devils enter top 4 once again with a 1-0 victory

It was Marcus Rashford's 27th-minute goal that was enough to see the Red Devils over the line in Man United vs Brentford ,who suffered just their second defeat this calendar year.

Meanwhile, United were winless and goalless in their past three league matches heading into tonight's game, so the three points were crucial to their top-four pursuit. They'd dropped to fifth following Tottenham Hotspur's draw with Everton on Monday but now sit fourth, level on points with Newcastle United but trailing through goal difference.

It was a somewhat lacklustre affair, with the Reds unwilling to fully commit to the second goal as they likely knew the kind of threat that Brentford could unleash on them. However, a win is a win, and it rarely looked like it would be anything less than one throughout the evening.

Man United vs Brentford: Match Summary

United started brightly, forcing a series of corners and free kicks as Brentford pulled their outfield players behind the ball to try to close down space, and when the breakthrough came in the 27th minute it was from another set-piece.

A Brentford clearance from a corner only made it as far winger Antony on the edge of the box. He lofted it towards the head of Marcel Sabitzer, and Rashford met the Austrian's bouncing knockdown with a sumptuous half-volley that gave David Raya no chance.

United keeper David de Gea almost gave Brentford a lifeline early in the second half of Man United vs Brentford, when his attempted clearance cannoned into Ivan Toney, and the United keeper had to stand firm in the 67th minute to deny substitute Kevin Schade.

Brentford poured forward in the closing stages, but the closest they came to scoring was an audacious attempt at a chip from Toney that drifted harmlessly over the bar as the home side held on.

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