EPL: Man United's 1-1 Draw at Brentford Could Prove ‘Expensive By End', Says Erik Ten Hag

Erik Ten Hag admitted Brentford’s late equaliser is likely to prove costly in Manchester United’s already dwindling bid for a place in the Champions League. (More Football News)

United did little to turn down the noise surrounding manager Ten Hag’s future after an ꩵultimately dramatic but largely uninspirinꦡg 1-1 draw in west London.

They looked to have turned a lifeless d🤡isplay into an unlikely three points after Mason Mount climbed off the bench to fire them ahead six minutes into stoppage time.

But Brentford equalised less than three minutes later through Kristoffer Ajer to🐎 snatch aཧ point which was the least they deserved.

“We didn’t deserve to win but i🌠f you are winning you have to take this. Normally we are good in those circumstances,” said Ten Hag.

“In terms of aggressiveness Brentford were better but when you are winning the🌱 game you should bring it💫 over the line.

“When you don’t play well you still have to win and we did it, almost. We didn’t pla🐲y well but th💙ere was spirit and fight but not enough.

“There are still many games to go. 🥂Of course the points could be m💖ore expensive by the end. It should have been three points. By the end we will know. It could be an important point.

“Don’t lower the performance f🐈ro♑m Brentford, I’ve seen them against Man City, against Liverpool. But we should have done this better.

“I’m not happy with the performance, there is no misunderst🧸anding. We should be consistent in the way we take a game and perform.”

Ten Hag had shrugged off speculation over his job thisꦯ week before 𒁏returning to the scene of his catastrophic second match in charge, when they conceded four goals in the opening 35 minutes.

On the evidence of this und🍸erwhelming performance, they have hardly made any progress since that chastenღing afternoon in August 2022.

In fact, Brentford had enough chances to stage a rep𒁃eat performance of their 4-0 romp but for the wayward finishing which has m🐽ade their season a significantly tougher one than the last.

They had 31 attempts at goal and incredibly hit ❀the woodwork four times.

It really did not look like being their night when, deep into nine minute꧑s of stoppage time, Casemiro set up Mount t🗹o convert at the far post.

But Brentford were not to be denied and, when Ivan Toney sent the ball aꦆcross goal in the 99th minute, centre-half Ajer was on hand to secure a fully merited point.

Thomas Frank, whose side are now five points clear of the relegation zone, said: “I k🐎now we beat Man United 4-0 last year but I think we played bett♔er today.

“The way ꦦwe dominated the game throughout, in terms of shots and dangerous situations, was v🗹ery, very impressive.

“The way we dominated – 31 shots – how we are not winning that game𓆏 I do not know.

“I almost lost faith in the football god when they scored, brutal. But the ability to come back fro💟m that is incredible.”