Man Utd secured a 2-1 victory over Brentford at Old Trafford on Monday night, a result that leaves Champions League football at Old Trafford all but guaranteed. Michale Carrick’s men were not as sharp after the interval, and Mathias Jensen’s late screamer put Brentford back in contention, but United held on to claim three points.

The win was United’s sixth in seven home matches under Carrick. With four games remaining, they sit third and hold an 11-point advantage over Brighton in sixth, making a top-five finish appear effectively secured.

Bruno Fernandes again drove United’s creativity. With his assist for the second goal he is one shy of matching Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne’s Premier League single-season assist record of 20. He created four chances in the first half alone and is widely expected to break the mark, a form that could translate into the Premier League Player of the Season award.

Casemiro scored United’s opener, his ninth Premier League goal of the season, marking the best goalscoring campaign of his career. The performance emphasised “everything United will lose when he departs the club this summer, which is a lot.” Kobbie Mainoo and goalkeeper Senne Lammens also played important roles.

It was a difficult night for Amad Diallo. He missed a presentable chance inside two minutes after Mainoo’s run and then squandered further clear opportunities, including a tame header from close range and a goal ruled out for offside. Carrick substituted the 23-year-old at half-time.

Player ratings (as provided):

GK: Senne Lammens — 7.5

RB: Diogo Dalot — 7.0

CB: Harry Maguire — 8.1

CB: Ayden Heaven — 7.4

LB: Luke Shaw — 7.4

DM: Casemiro — 8.9

DM: Kobbie Mainoo — 7.8

RW: Bryan Mbeumo — 7.3

AM: Bruno Fernandes — 8.2

LW: Amad Diallo — 6.5

ST: Benjamin Šeško — 8.1

Subs: Noussair Mazraoui 7.1, Leny Yoro 6.1, Mason Mount 6.4, Joshua Zirkzee N/A. Subs not used: Altay Bayındır (GK), Tyrell Malacia, Patrick Dorgu, Manuel Ugarte, Joshua Zirkzee, Shea Lacey.

Match statistics (selected): Possession 45% to 55%, Expected Goals 1.27 to 1.43, Total Shots 11 to 12, Shots on Target 6 to 4, Big Chances 3 to 2, Passing Accuracy 83% to 87%, Fouls 6 to 9.

Matheus Cunha was absent from Manchester United’s team to face Brentford after a sore hip flexor, Michael Carrick confirmed ahead of kickoff. The forward, who scored last weekend, did not progress quickly enough in training to take his place.

Carrick addressed the situation directly: “He was looking quite promising during the week,” he said. “We thought he’d be O.K. but he didn’t quite progress quick enough. It’s nothing to serious but unfortunately he misses out tonight.” The manager’s message underlined that the issue is not judged severe, with a crucial home meeting against Liverpool six days away.

Carrick altered the frontline by bringing Amad Diallo into the side and handing the number nine role to Benjamin Šeško. Bryan Mbeumo was shifted onto the left wing, a position he does not favor but one from which he has previously found success. The right-sided left footer scored while operating from the left against both Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur.

United’s selected XI (4-2-3-1): Senne Lammens; Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Ayden Heaven, Luke Shaw; Casemiro, Kobbie Mainoo; Amad Diallo, Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo; Benjamin Šeško.

Substitutes: Altay Bayındır (GK), Patrick Dorgu, Tyrell Malacia, Noussair Mazraoui, Leny Yoro, Mason Mount, Manuel Ugarte, Shea Lacey, Joshua Zirkzee.

Cunha’s absence will be felt, but the broader context of the campaign remains unsettled. Brighton & Hove Albion, however, are eight points adrift of gatecrashing the Champions League contingent. At the start of Carrick’s reign, Cunha could not force his way into the matchday team even when fully fit; Patrick Dorgu emerged as the durable wide option, justifying selection with goals against Manchester City and Arsenal.

United will now manage Cunha’s recovery with the Liverpool fixture approaching at Old Trafford. The club will hope the issue does not develop into a longer problem and that the squad can cope without him for the immediate challenge.

The Premier League has published the nominees for February’s player and manager of the month awards, a list that reflects a busy and decisive four weeks.

Brentford will be represented by Dango Ouattara, who contributed two goals and two assists, including match-winners against Aston Villa and Newcastle United. Ouattara was also instrumental in Brentford’s 1–1 draw with Arsenal. Igor Thiago will not be defending his January player prize amid his club’s collective dip in form.

Viktor Gyökeres produced mixed returns. He failed to register a single shot at the Gtech Community Stadium on a sodden night but had been on target five days earlier with a second-half brace against Sunderland. He then added two more goals in the north London derby. Mikel Arteta dismissed the idea that Gyökeres had undergone any drastic changes, instead putting that double down to the particular game state, and accepted it was the best display of a debut campaign that has had its ups and downs.

Manchester City’s push has been aided by Antoine Semenyo and Nico O’Reilly. Both players out-scored Erling Haaland in February and exemplified a tactical tweak from Pep Guardiola. O’Reilly’s return to midfield supplied the physical, dynamic profile to allow a diamond between a front two that has often included Semenyo and Haaland.

Benjamin Šeško scored three goals, each directly earning Manchester United a positive result. Without those contributions United would be five points worse off, dropping from third in the table to sixth. Virgil van Dijk returned to something approaching his best form during February, though he produced a desperately unconvincing display to begin March.

Michael Carrick is once again among the managerial nominees. United collected 10 points from a possible 12 even if some of the performances were, to borrow Carrick’s own word, “stodgy.” Were the interim hire to claim February’s gong, he would become the first manager since Ange Postecoglou in September and October 2023 to win the award in back-to-back months.

Keith Andrews has yet to win a monthly prize this season despite steering Brentford into a fight for European qualification after a disruptive summer. February was patchy for the Bees, with questionable VAR decisions helping them scrape four points against Burnley and Bournemouth. Arne Slot’s nomination arrives after Liverpool began the month with a loss to Manchester City, navigated scratchy 1–0 wins over Sunderland and Nottingham Forest, and closed with a 5–2 victory described in the draft as perhaps the least convincing of its kind. Nottingham Forest were the only team to collect four wins in February.