Manchester United climbed backmost into the Premier League's apical 4 by overcoming Brentford astatine Old Trafford.
Marcus Rashford's 15th Premier League extremity of the play - and 28th successful each competitions for his nine - secured the win.
It took United backmost supra Tottenham successful the contention to suffice for the Champions League, and was the effect manager Erik 10 Hag needed pursuing Sunday's decision astatine Newcastle.
Brentford, who are chasing European qualification, mislaid for lone the 2nd clip successful 17 Premier League matches.
Scott McTominay and Antony went adjacent earlier Rashford finished from adjacent range, with a headed assistance by Marcel Sabitzer, aft the Bees failed to woody decently with a corner.
Brentford, level for ample parts of the archetypal half, were overmuch amended aft half-time and United were relieved to perceive the last whistle.
Home goalkeeper David de Gea needed attraction aft making a important prevention to support retired substitute Kevin Schade.
United are level connected 53 points with third-placed Newcastle - and 3 up of fifth-placed Tottenham, who person played 1 much crippled than their rivals.
Brentford enactment ninth - 3 points down sixth-placed Brighton, having played 2 much games than the Seagulls.
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Nervy Man Utd unafraid the points
Manchester United had a eight-point cushion connected 5th spot aft defeating Leicester connected 19 February but Sunday's decision - coupled with Tottenham's gully astatine Everton connected Monday - near them extracurricular the apical 4 for the archetypal clip since December.
Manager Ten Hag recalled Jadon Sancho successful an effort to supply the squad with much vigor yet United were hanging connected towards the extremity against a Brentford broadside that grew successful confidence.
Sabitzer tested David Raya aft half-time portion Fred blazed different accidental implicit the barroom but United were forced to endure respective tense moments earlier full-time aft failing to adhd to their tally.
De Gea's prevention from Schade was a immense infinitesimal successful the game, the Spaniard keeping his composure to thwart the Brentford subordinate who was cleanable done with lone the keeper to beat.
Questions volition stay astir United's over-reliance connected Rashford for goals but Ten Hag volition anticipation United volition physique connected their archetypal Premier League triumph since winning the Carabao Cup.
Season to retrieve for Bees
Brentford person spent the past fewer months making a mockery of second-season syndrome.
Having finished 13th past play pursuing promotion from the Championship, the Bees are conscionable 3 points distant from equalling past season's tally of 46 points - which secured them 13th spot - contempt decision astatine Old Trafford.
They followed up their 4-0 thrashing of United successful London connected 13 August with connection wins implicit Manchester City and Liverpool and they truthful astir came adjacent to snatching a constituent present lone for De Gea to nutrient the prevention of the game.
Thomas Frank's broadside entertain in-form Newcastle - 5-1 winners astatine West Ham - adjacent but it is simply a grounds to the efforts implicit the past 8 months that they are inactive successful with an extracurricular accidental of Europe astatine the concern extremity of the season.
How to play
Rate players retired of 10 passim oregon aft the game. The rater volition adjacent 30 minutes aft the last whistle.
Rating scope key1 = Give it up10 = Pure perfection
Manchester United
Squad number1Player namede Gea
Squad number20Player nameDiogo Dalot
Squad number19Player nameVarane
Squad number6Player nameLi Martínez
Squad number23Player nameShaw
Squad number39Player nameMcTominay
Squad number8Player nameBruno Fernandes
Squad number21Player nameAntony
Squad number15Player nameSabitzer
Squad number25Player nameSancho
Squad number10Player nameRashford
Squad number2Player nameLindelöf
Squad number9Player nameMartial
Squad number12Player nameMalacia
Squad number17Player nameFred
Brentford
Squad number1Player nameRaya
Squad number30Player nameRoerslev
Squad number18Player nameJansson
Squad number5Player namePinnock
Squad number16Player nameMee
Squad number3Player nameHenry
Squad number24Player nameDamsgaard
Squad number6Player nameNørgaard
Squad number8Player nameJensen
Squad number19Player nameMbeumo
Squad number17Player nameToney
Squad number2Player nameHickey
Squad number9Player nameSchade
Squad number10Player nameDasilva
Squad number11Player nameWissa
Squad number26Player nameBaptiste
Line-ups
Man Utd
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1de Gea
- 20Dalot
- 19Varane
- 6Li Martínez
- 23ShawBooked astatine 24minsSubstituted forMalaciaat 37'minutes
- 39McTominayBooked astatine 42mins
- 8Bruno FernandesBooked astatine 59mins
- 21AntonySubstituted forLindelöfat 86'minutes
- 15SabitzerSubstituted forFredat 71'minutes
- 25SanchoSubstituted forMartialat 71'minutes
- 10Rashford
Substitutes
- 2Lindelöf
- 5Maguire
- 9Martial
- 12Malacia
- 17Fred
- 27Weghorst
- 28Pellistri
- 29Wan-Bissaka
- 31Butland
Brentford
Formation 5-3-2
- 1Raya
- 30RoerslevSubstituted forHickeyat 75'minutes
- 18Jansson
- 5Pinnock
- 16Mee
- 3Henry
- 24DamsgaardBooked astatine 50minsSubstituted forDasilvaat 62'minutes
- 6NørgaardBooked astatine 61minsSubstituted forWissaat 75'minutes
- 8JensenSubstituted forBaptisteat 62'minutes
- 19MbeumoSubstituted forSchadeat 62'minutes
- 17Toney
Substitutes
- 2Hickey
- 9Schade
- 10Dasilva
- 11Wissa
- 13M Jorgensen
- 14Ghoddos
- 22Strakosha
- 26Baptiste
- 33Stevens
Referee:John Brooks
Attendance:73,309
Live Text
Match ends, Manchester United 1, Brentford 0.
Second Half ends, Manchester United 1, Brentford 0.
Scott McTominay (Manchester United) wins a escaped footwear successful the antiaircraft half.
Foul by Ivan Toney (Brentford).
Offside, Manchester United. Fred tries a done ball, but Tyrell Malacia is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Ivan Toney (Brentford) close footed changeable from extracurricular the container is conscionable a spot excessively high.
Anthony Martial (Manchester United) wins a escaped footwear successful the attacking half.
Foul by Pontus Jansson (Brentford).
Attempt missed. Aaron Hickey (Brentford) near footed changeable from extracurricular the container misses to the left. Assisted by Josh Dasilva.
Foul by Fred (Manchester United).
Ben Mee (Brentford) wins a escaped footwear successful the antiaircraft half.
Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Ethan Pinnock.
Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Rico Henry.
Substitution, Manchester United. Victor Lindelöf replaces Antony.
Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Bruno Fernandes.
Tyrell Malacia (Manchester United) wins a escaped footwear successful the antiaircraft half.
Foul by Kevin Schade (Brentford).
Attempt missed. Fred (Manchester United) near footed changeable from the centre of the container is excessively high. Assisted by Marcus Rashford.
Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Ethan Pinnock.
Attempt missed. Antony (Manchester United) near footed changeable from extracurricular the container is precocious and wide to the left. Assisted by Tyrell Malacia.
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