What Manchester United displayed against Brentford shows that Erik ten Hag’s team does not deserve a Champions League spot next season.

The disappointing draw with Brentford has caused Manchester United to lose their advantage.

Manchester United recently had a 1-1 draw at home against Brentford in the 30th round of the Premier League. This result is far from satisfying for the Red Devils’ beloved fans, especially considering their need to compete fiercely for a top-four position. Prior to the 30th round, the gap between Manchester United and the teams in 4th (Aston Villa) and 5th (Tottenham Hotspur) was not insignificant. After the 30th round, things got even worse for Erik ten Hag’s team as both Villa and Spurs secured important victories. With Villa extending the gap to 11 points and Tottenham being 8 points ahead of Man United, it is almost too difficult for the team at Old Trafford to bounce back and catch up.

It is worth noting that Manchester United had a tough match against Brentford. They played without sharpness, allowing the opponents to press and create numerous dangerous situations. If it weren’t for luck, the talent of Andre Onana, and the misfortune of Brentford’s attackers, the away team’s goal might have been shaken at least twice. Mason Mount scored an important opening goal for the Red Devils in the 90+6th minute, but they lost this advantage just 3 minutes later, settling for only 1 point. Extreme disappointment engulfed Ten Hag and his players.

Manchester United shot themselves in the foot by losing 3 points against Brentford. Despite a very difficult match, if they had been able to preserve the result with only a few minutes left, Ten Hag and his team could have breathed a sigh of relief. However, everything quickly turned around just 3 minutes after Mason Mount’s goal, revealing a recurring weakness of Man United this season—the vulnerability of their defensive system, which prevents them from earning full points.

The defense has been a weakness for Manchester United, not for the first time, but it has not been thoroughly addressed. It is precisely because of dropping points in crucial moments like against Brentford that Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United lacks the resilience and tenacity of a title-contending team, or at least a team competing for a top-four spot in the Champions League.

After this match, Erik ten Hag admitted that Manchester United did not deserve to win. This honest statement clearly showcases the frustrating reality at Old Trafford.