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Brentford1 - 1Man Utd

sportsmole.co.uk, 31 March 2024, 09:05
Manchester United have become just the second Premier League team - along with Sheffield United - to set an unwanted feat in the top flight this season.

The record was set in their 1-1 draw away to Brentford on Saturday night, where the Red Devils almost snatched an unlikely victory with Mason Mount's 96th-minute strike.

However, after dominating proceedings from start to finish, Brentford were rewarded with an equaliser, as Kristoffer Ajer fired home from Ivan Toney's cross nine minutes into injury time.

Thomas Frank's men hit the woodwork on three occasions, and Toney also had a goal chalked off for a very tight offside in the second half.

The result saw Man United fall further off the pace in the race for a top-five finish, as they now sit eight points behind Tottenham Hotspur, after they beat Luton Town earlier in the day.

Man United's leaky defence equals unwanted feat against Brentford

Erik ten Hag's side allowed 31 shots on their goal against the Bees, becoming just the second team to concede 30+ shots in at least two Premier League games this season.

A trip to rivals Liverpool back in December also saw Man United give up at least 30 shots, as Jurgen Klopp's men battered down the door but could not find a goal in a 0-0 draw, despite registering 34 attempts.

Only bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United have also allowed 30+ shots on their goals in at least two Premier League games this season.

That is not a good look on United, considering Chris Wilder's men have let in 77 goals in 29 league games this season, and sit seven points adrift of safety.

Conceding chances has become a regular problem for Manchester United

Those two matches have not been one-offs either, as United also conceded numerous chances in their previous league outing against Everton.

A blunt Toffees attack was profligate at Old Trafford, failing to find the net despite having 23 shots on the Man United goal.

Liverpool also managed 25 despite falling to an extra-time defeat in their FA Cup quarter-final with Man United, while Manchester City outshot Ten Hag's side 27-3 in their derby win at the start of the month.

That means across their last four matches, United have conceded a whopping 106 shots, being relatively fortunate to concede only seven goals, and lose just once.

Even more surprisingly, considering the chances given up, United now have the outright fourth-best defensive record in the Premier League, after Everton conceded twice at Bournemouth yesterday.

The results have not arrived in tandem though, as United remain a long way back in the Champions League hunt down in sixth.

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