Lucy Ward, co-cooperative at TNT Sport, hinted that Brentford head coach Keith Andrews had deliberately made a double replacement ahead of the Bruno Fernandez penalty to delay the captain’s spot kick. United were given a penalty when Brian Mbeumo was dragged into Nathan Collins while searching for a score.
Reuben Amorim’s team was building up equalising pressure after Igor Thiago scored the net twice within his first 20 minutes at GTECH Community Stadium. Benjamin Sesco reduced the gap with his first goal for the Red Devils. As the match approached conclusion, United were awarded the third penalty of the season when Collins defeated Mbeumo within the Brentford penalty area following Matthews Cunya’s early cross. Judge Craig Pawson signaled the penalty after a brief pause before the video assistant umpire reviewed footage of the potential red card.
Collins avoided sending out, and Fernandez failed to convert the penalty, marking his second mistake of the season. However, due to the VAR check, the Portuguese player had to endure a nearly five minute wait between the penalties awarded and taken.
Further delays were caused by double replacements from the home team. Andrews brought Keene Lewis Potter and Rico Henry in place of Dango Outrara and Aaron Hickey.
Fernandez was penalised but was stopped by Kaoimhin Keleher, who plunged low to deny the United skipper. During coverage of the match in the TNT Sports capital, Ward suggested that the double replacement was a deliberate move. “He (Keith Andrews) did it intentionally and he has a reward for it,” she insisted.
United manager Reuben Amorim told TNT Sports after the match: “Of course I want to win. I didn’t control the game. I played a Brentford game. The first ball, the second ball, the set piece. Every key moment was against us.
“The first goal was a long ball. We worked on that and set pieces in the week. We knew the long ball (which was coming) and one touch they had a chance. We need to do better. We didn’t play the game.
“But it was more or less the same. We need to play the game, not our opponents, but they’ve gotten stronger about it. Losing at this club is always the same.
