Man Utd 3-0 Brentford: CR7 strikes again to keep the Red Devils' UCL dream alive

Manchester United's final home match of a miserable season ends in a comfortable 3-0 win over Brentford with Bruno Fernandes, Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphael Varane all on target.

Match Report

It says everything about how much he had carried this team that the Portugal star had scored eight of United’s last nine league goals before this – seven of them here at Old Trafford.

So it was a surprise that he wasn’t involved when they scored in the ninth minute, having missed an early chance after he got in behind the Brentford defence.

The move for the goal was started by Diogo Dalot who swung a pass into the channel for Anthony Elanga to chase. The young Swede produced enough acceleration to reach the ball before it went out, and hooked a cross back for Fernandes to thump home an emphatic volley.

It was about the only significant United move that didn’t involve Ronaldo in the first half. He failed to convince referee Chris Kavanagh to point to the spot after going down under Mads Roerslev’s challenge, produced a lovely flick to set up Mata for a shot that flew just wide, and then got on the end of the little Spaniard’s cross to score just before half-time only to see it ruled out for offside by VAR.

Ronaldo had a worthy adversary in Christian Eriksen, though. If this was the ideal stage for the Dane to showcase his skills to other clubs – possibly even United – then he certainly seized the opportunity.

Eriksen was at the heart of all Brentford’s best moments, and they could easily have been level at the interval had Bryan Mbeumo converted from his early pass and Ivan Toney not headed inches over from a sumptuous cross.

Ronaldo almost helped United to extend their lead within five minutes of the restart when he set up Dalot to hit the bar, but was offside once again. Moment later, Fernandes was the width of a post away from getting a second when Matic’s pass sent him clear.

Eriksen responded by winning a free kick that he fired on goal from 25 yards, forcing a diving save from David de Gea who then kept out Toney’s low shot with his right foot.

But Ronaldo wasn’t going to be denied and his goal arrived from the penalty spot after he was fouled on the hour mark.

The initial pass once again came from Dalot. Ronaldo knocked Rico Henry off the ball and then went down under the defender’s clumsy recovery challenge. Fernandes missed United’s last penalty at Arsenal so up stepped Ronaldo and he didn’t fail.

Varane volleyed the third from a corner off Pontuss Jansen’s knee in the 72nd minute. By then the farewells were in full swing. Matic and Mata off, Cavani and Jones on.

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

1' KICK-OFF! Who can win this match?

8' GOAL! Man Utd 1-0 Brentford (Bruno Fernandes)

10' De Gea denied Eriksen's long shot

17' Mbeumo's header wide out

21' Toney's header over the bar

23' Ronaldo's free kick saved by David Raya

25' Ronaldo goes down in the box but ref says no penalty!

31' CHANCE! Mata's shot wide out

36' Mbeumo's shot wide out

44' OFFSIDE! Ronaldo's goal disallowed

52' CLOSE! Bruno Fernandes' shot wide out

53' Yellow Card! Matic booked

54' Eriksen's free kick parried away

60' Penalty Goal! Man Utd 2-0 Brentford (Ronaldo)

70' Sub! Matic out, Fred in

71' GOAL! Man Utd 3-0 Brentford (Varane)

Line-ups

Man Utd XI: Ronaldo, Mata, Matic, De Gea, Alex Telles, Lindelof, Varane, Bruno Fernandes, Dalot, McTominay, A. Elanga

Subs: Cavani, Jones, Fred, Lingard, Bailly, Dean Henderson, Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Álvaro Fernández

Brentford XI: P. Jansson, Eriksen, C. Nørgaard, I. Toney, David Raya, K. Ajer, R. Henry, Janelt, M. Sørensen, M. Rasmussen, B. Mbeumo

Subs: J. Jeanvier, Y. Wissa, T. Fosu-Henry, J. Dasilva, M. Jensen, Álvaro Fernández, S. Baptiste, N. Young-Coombes, Fin Stevens