Erik ten Hag gets an immediate response from one of his Manchester United undroppables in win vs Brentford

A response to a setback and back in the top four. Manchester United have form for following up egregious performances with character-building wins and this was another.

This was far from vintage from United but it was never likely to be against such obdurate opponents. Brentford, back in the top flight after a 74-year absence last season, have still lost fewer Premier League fixtures than United this term.

Erik ten Hag resorted to introducing a third centre half, Victor Lindelof, for the dying embers and the Swede lost his first aerial duel. Lisandro Martinez's size has seldom mattered since his chastening afternoon at Brentford in August and the Argentine approached the tunnel as United's man of the match for the umpteenth time.

Read more: United player ratings vs Brentford

Ten Hag was imploring United to press as full-time loomed in a humdrum atmosphere. One United fan hollered, "Come on, Martial" and there was polite dissent from a Brentford staff member at "only" four minutes of stoppage time.

David de Gea, Scott McTominay and Anthony Martial were all dispossessed in the 93rd minute yet Brentford were harmless. The United supporters sounded so assured of victory they chanted about a return to Wembley later this month.

A liability with his feet, De Gea is reliable with his hands. On a night he was heckled with a rendition of 'you're just a s--t David Raya' by the Brentford away-dayers, his denial of substitute Kevin Schade was pivotal.

United owe a number of points to De Gea's goalkeeping this term and these can be added to the tally. Schade craftily nipped in ahead of Raphael Varane but his penultimate touch was a tad heavy and he still had the gall to attempt to dink De Gea. The United goalkeeper stayed upright