Erik ten Hag wants Manchester United's great escape against Brentford to be 'turning point'

Erik ten Hag says Manchester United's stunning stoppage-time turnaround against Brentford has to be the "turning point" in their season.

The afterglow from a promising first season under the Dutchman has long since dimmed, with the mood threatening to darken further before the international break.

Mathias Jensen put Brentford on course for a famous Old Trafford win as United entered second-half stoppage time staring down the barrel of a fifth defeat in their opening eight league matches.

But super sub Scott McTominay had other ideas. Introduced in the 87th minute, he fired United level in the 93rd minute and four minutes later headed home to seal a scarcely believable 2-1 comeback win.

"This has to be a turning point but also it has to be a restart because we have to get into higher levels," United boss Ten Hag said.

"But the spirit is good, the belief is good, the team is together.

"We have shown that, we have shown strong character and it can be the turning point in the season but it’s up to us.

"Those games give fuel to a dressing room. They know how far they have to go to get results.

"It can’t be easy going and in football, it’s eat or you get eaten.

"Too many times in the first half of the season we have got eaten by opponents who are more hungry, and this can’t be. It has to go away.

"Every player, every second he is on the pitch, he has to deliver that. That is the demand and the standard.

"When you do that, we have seen last season that you get a determined team.

"We were not always determined on every occasion in games and you get hammered for it and this has to change."

McTominay was the fifth and final substitution made by Ten Hag as United desperately looked to avoid a third straight Old Trafford defeat in all