Marcus Rashford’s energy inspires crucial win for Man Utd and Erik ten Hag

The game was in the third of seven minutes of stoppage time and there was Marcus Rashford running back towards his own goal, holding off Nathan Collins before cleverly playing the ball off the Brentford defender to win his team a throw-in and alleviate the pressure.
A minute later, the Manchester United striker was down near his own corner flag, intercepting a pass and clearing the ball high into the stands. Then, in almost the next breath, he was striding towards Brentford’s penalty area and slipping a pass in behind for Bruno Fernandes, whose angled shot was smothered at the near post.
As a snapshot of Rashford’s hunger, energy and work rate on an afternoon when he did more than anyone in a red shirt to inspire United from a goal down at half-time to victory in a game they and manager Erik ten Hag simply had to win, it was fitting.
It has been difficult for United fans to draw much encouragement from a miserable and, at times, deeply troubling start to the season that has left Ten Hag’s position under huge scrutiny.
But, while many of his team-mates have been flailing, there have been signs of Rashford rediscovering some form over the past month and this was another firm step in the right direction for United’s No 10.
Factor in that he has also been the victim of some strange selection decisions from his manager that have seemed to disrupt rather than facilitate the momentum he has been quietly building and Rashford seems determined to make the best of the hand he is being dealt.
Whether this result marks the start of a corner turned remains to be seen. United came from behind to claim an important win against Brentford at Old Trafford a year ago but it did not have the galvanising effect they hoped for. They will wish for better this time around, starting away to Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce in Istanbul on Thursday.
Rashford will doubtless want to get one over a man he did not always see eye to eye with and Mourinho would be right to pinpoint him as United’s dangerman once again.
He did not score against Brentford but it was his exquisite pass-cum-cross for Alejandro Garnacho, which was met with an equally sweet volley, that instigated the comeback soon after the restart and from there Rashford never relented. He had been his side’s most likely catalyst in a first period when United were second best and behind to a contentious goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time, despite Ten Hag’s strange assertion that they felt they had the game under control.
There had been something of a precursor to the pass for Garnacho’s goal when Rashford released the Argentine with a stunning switch-pass only for his team-mate to blaze wide. But it was clear that if United were going to get something from the game, Rashford and Garnacho were paramount, the pair switching flanks to good effect and never giving Brentford time to rest.
It probably helped that United had a left-footer at left-back, Lisandro Martinez moving out of central defence, allowing Diogo Dalot to revert to his preferred place on the right. United were balanced for it. “I really enjoyed how he played,” Ten Hag said of Rashford. “You see what he is capable of. We want to see this every game, what he can contribute to the team, really intense and then a brilliant cross [for the first goal].”
Between Rashford and Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund improved as the game wore on, turning and running at Brentford’s defence and drawing team-mates into play and taking his goal so well. Initially, United’s tactic of goalkeeper Andre Onana clipping direct balls into Hojlund looked like easy work for the physical presence of Ethan Pinnock.
But when United began to vary their play and Hojlund bought himself a yard or two, the pitch opened up. Thomas Frank bemoaned his side for being too passive but United, fuelled by a sense of injustice over the Brentford goal, were greatly improved in that second period. Faster, sharper, more urgent. Their second goal in particular was the move of the match – and Brentford, from having the upper hand to begin with, found themselves increasingly on the back foot. Brentford took the lead when Pinnock lost Dalot to power home Mikkel Damsgaard’s corner, leaving United furious at being forced down to 10 men with Matthijs de Ligt receiving treatment for a head wound for the third time in the game.
Rashford probably should have claimed a second assist after teeing up substitute Joshua Zirkzee but the Dutchman was alarmingly flat-footed and sluggish and a golden chance to kill the game went begging. United, though, were already in front by then. Rashford’s angled cross, lashed home on the volley by Garnacho, was the perfect start to the second half and United – who had failed to score in four of their previous five league games – had a successful high press to thank in part for the winner.
Nathan Collins was forced to kick the ball away with Martinez finding Christian Eriksen who fizzed a pass into Fernandes. His flick into Hojlund was sublime and then met with an equally deft finish from the Denmark striker, lifting the ball over Mark Flekken.
Erik ten Hag claimed a burning sense of injustice fired a “mad” and “angry” Manchester United to a vital comeback victory over Brentford that eased some of the pressure on the embattled manager.
Second-half goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund earned United a 2-1 win at Old Trafford as they recovered from a goal down after Ethan Pinnock’s header from a corner in first-half stoppage time had left Ten Hag, his players and staff seething.
United had just been forced down to 10 men when defender Matthijs de Ligt was ordered off for treatment to a head wound for the third time in the game. When Pinnock scored from the subsequent corner, Ruud van Nistelrooy flew into a rage at fourth official Gavin Ward and was booked for his demonstrations before the enraged former United striker – Ten Hag’s assistant – had to be dragged away from the officials in the tunnel at half-time. De Ligt and United’s first-team coach Darren Fletcher also confronted Ward.
“It was dry blood so he was already treated for the injury – I didn’t understand why he was sent off [the pitch]” Ten Hag said. “I went over to Matthijs and he said: ‘It is dry blood and I have to come off, I don’t know why.’ It was a huge moment because Brentford are very good at corners and you miss one of your best headers [of the ball].
“We felt some injustice and used it as fuel. I really enjoyed the performance. Definitely we were mad and angry at half-time. It was not perfect but we had the idea we controlled the game.
“We didn’t concede chances, we created some and then there is the injustice when you concede.”
Although Victor Lindelof had been instructed to warm up, Ten Hag said he was not in a position where he needed to withdraw De Ligt despite the player needing three separate instances of treatment. “He was OK, that is what he told me,” the United manager said. “I asked him when he came off if there was a problem but no he was 100 per cent there.”
Ten Hag refused to be drawn on whether the victory would mark a turning point after a torrid start to the season that has left his future under intense scrutiny. But the Dutchman hopes his team will now get back consistently among the goals again after United had failed to score in four of their five previous league games.
“No it is just a win so the last block we didn’t win enough but we only lost one game and that was when we were down to 10 [against Tottenham] and afterwards everyone agreed we shouldn’t be to 10,” Ten Hag said.
“So the only thing we had to do was score goals, we were in good spots but were not clinical and determined enough. What didn’t help was Rasmus Hojlund was injured at the start of the season but now is back. But we have enough players with scoring abilities and today we scored two great goals.
“Pressure is always there, we have to win every game and when you are 1-0 down, you have to see how we turned it around.
“Every game you win is important, you see the togetherness, the fighting spirit and we add some determination to score goals. The stats show we play good football, come in good spots and don’t score enough but today we score two brilliant goals.
“This team has the capacity to score very good goals and when you score and win you add some confidence. The start of the season we had some good performances. We had chances but didn’t score enough and then everyone is negative. It can help us but it is only one win and we must build on this.
“I think we suffered first half. There was a lot of intensity from Newcastle. But we showed a brilliant reaction. In the end, I would not say it was a deserved win, but my team suffered and defended together.
“Sometimes that is football. We didn’t deserve to score at the time when we did. But it is great individual quality from Danny Welbeck. I am very happy with him.”
On Welbeck’s injury: 
“No updates. I can’t say any updates. I think he got a knee in his lower back. Let’s wait until later, until tomorrow, then we will know more.
“We defended together. In the end, defence wins Championships. We got smashed against Chelsea but we learnt from it. Not everything was perfect today, we have to be honest with ourselves. But the luck will come to you if you work for it.
“We have a lot of injuries, we always have to adjust things. But the guys are doing it brilliantly. Of course we want to focus on the process but you also need the results. For me, the result was good, the performance was OK.”
Man United secure their first victory in 6️⃣ games after defeating Brentford 2-1 👏 pic.twitter.com/Y2rC1RRk3m
“They scored in the first five minutes, but we knuckled down after that and we dominate pretty much most of the game. We should have scored a few more, but in the second half we put our foot on the gas and we deserved the win.
On the quick response with his equaliser:
 “It was massive to respond how we did so quickly. It helped settle the nerves and we were generally playing well and to get it so quick did help.”
On Emiliano Martinez’s penalty save: 
“That is why he is the best. That is what he does. If it goes 2-1 anything can happen in the game.”
On Ollie Watkins’ goal: 
“We work hard on set-pieces leading into every game. We know how they setup and we are trying to score – it’s an opportunity. Ollie puts it away as he normally does.”
On the three points: 
“After the international break you start fresh with a clean slate and to get the win is massive. We have an important week and it is just the start of it.”
On Danny Welbeck’s injury:
“I am gutted to see him go off, he has been in top, top form this season. Hopefully it is not a bad injury and he will be back soon. He was ruthless scoring his goal. Me and him have a good link up.
“He is one of the top professionals at this football club and he is a great key to our success. He helps everyone, young and old. Hopefully his injury is not too bad and we will have him fighting to get fit.”
On his fight to get back into England squad: 
“We shall see.”
There are under way in the 5.30pm kick-off on the south coast. You can follow all the action live from Bournemouth vs Arsenal here.
Thank you for your incredible support, Reds 🫶👏#MUFC || #MUNBRE pic.twitter.com/gbgaes29eW
With still four games left to play this weekend, Aston Villa have moved into the Champions League places with their 3-1 win at Fulham whilst Brighton are into fifth as a result of their 1-0 win at Newcastle.
Manchester United are into the top half with their 1-0 win at home against Brentford.
Southampton remain winless and in the relegation zone after throwing a 2-0 lead at home against Leicester, losing 3-2. Ipswich are just one point and place above the relegation zone but could drop into it if Crystal Palace do not lose at Nottingham Forest on Monday night.
It was a crazy match at St. Mary’s, where Southampton were 2-0 up before Leicester came back to win 3-2. Their winner came in the 98th minute through Jordan Ayew and he has been talking after the match.
“It is just unbelievable, that’s why we play football. We did not have a good first half. Second half we got ourselves back together and attacked the game properly. It is just an unbelievable feeling. It os a good step forward to move up the table. We are going to continue fighting and it is not going to be easy so well done the lads and everyone.”
On Abdul Fatawu’s impact: 
“We know his pace, his quality. He has been fantastic since he came in, even last season. He is still young but what he did today he needs to keep up.”
On the team talk at half time: 
“He just said one or two things. We have a good squad and we just stepped up our game, that is why we scored three goals and are pleased.”
On the boost from winning two games in a row: 
“It should give us confidence, belief that we can do it. We will keep working hard and hopefully get more wins.”
98 – Jordan Ayew’s 98th-minute goal is Leicester’s latest winner on record (from 2006-07) in a Premier League game. Meanwhile, today is the first time the Foxes have ever won a Premier League away game in which they had trailed by 2+ goals. Fightback. pic.twitter.com/CwoaBNHGMT
Tottenham 4 West Ham 1
Fulham 1 Aston Villa 3
Ipswich 0 Everton 2
Man Utd 2 Brentford 1
Newcastle 0 Brighton 1
Southampton 2 Leicester 3
Bournemouth vs Arsenal (5.30pm kick-off)
And that’s it. Everton negotiate four minutes of added time to bank a first away victory of the campaign and leave Ipswich still winless in the top flight for 22 years. 
It looks like Kieran McKenna’s side will remain just one point above the relegation zone whilst Everton are set to move five points clear of it.
Just over 20 minutes until Bournemouth take on Arsenal on the south coast. There is no Bukayo Saka for Mikel Arteta’s side. You can follow all the action from that match with our dedicated live blog.
After the 15-minute delay before the start, it is still going as Everton lead Ipswich 2-0 with a few minutes of normal time remaining.
Another sub, Conor Chaplin, sees an effort saved but time running out for the Tractor Boys and it is the away section that is in full voice. A Town goal would change all that of course.
A match of fluctuations. Delightful for more than an hour with the score at 1-1 and both sides still counting 11 men on the pitch. Ollie Watkins’s wonder header made it 2-1, then his pace drew a shoulder charge from Joachim Andersen that referee Darren England deemed worthy of a red card. After that, there was only going to be one outcome, especially after Issa Diop’s comedy own goal. Always interesting, even into injury-time when Jaden Philogene picked up a second booking and an early departure. Villa up to fourth and their fans in fine voice.
It is all over at Old Trafford and Manchester United have beaten Brentford 2-1. They were one down but goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund have turned it around for Erik ten Hag’s side.
It is also all over at St. James’ Park and Brighton take the spoils over Newcastle. Danny Welbeck, who later went off injured, scored the only goal of the game.
Aston Villa have won 3-1 at Craven Cottage with both sides finishing with 10 men.
It couldn’t happen, could it? Omari Hutchinson sees a drive deflected narrowly wide – and Burgess heads just over soon after. Sean Dyche and his coaches are suddenly doing a lot of pointing at something as Delap is replaced by another son of an ex-Premier League star, George Hirst.
Rashford has looked more like his old self. For the first 15 minutes he only touched the ball once, United unable to get him in the game as Brentford controlled the early exchanges, but he looked the most likely catalyst for United in the first half, particularly when switching the ball to Garnacho on the opposite flank, and then the England forward has really come alive after the interval. His pass for Garnacho’s goal was a peach but there has been a hunger and energy about his play. He has been picking up in recent weeks – and the victim of some odd selection decisions – and together he and Garnacho has proved too much for Brentford.
Leicester have won it at the death. They were 2-0 down but Jordan Ayew has scored in the eighth minute of added time to surely win it for Leicester. Southampton look like they are going to remain winless on just one point.
Jordan Ayew’s 98th minute goal broke Southampton’s hearts after they had been two goals up. A desperate afternoon for Russell Martin.
Everton have twice chucked away two-goal leads to lose this season, against Bournemouth and Aston Villa. Zero indications so far that Ipswich can make it a hat-trick. But Delap has just whacked one marginally over so you never know…
Both teams are now down to ten men as Jaden Philogene has been sent off for two yellow cards. It will not change the result of this game though as Aston Villa are 3-1 up in added time.
Villa down to ten men, too. Clumsy and unnecessary sending-off for Jaden Philogene for a second bookable offence deep into injury-time. It won’t change the outcome, but it will given him a weekend off.
Other than at Portman Road where there is still 15 minutes to go, the other games are reaching their conclusions. Brighton, Manchester United and Aston Villa are heading for wins as it stands whilst Southampton and Leicester are level.
It’s been a massive improvement from United in the second half. They probably should have scored more and the challenge now will be to ensure they see out this game safely. There’s five minutes of normal time plus stoppages remaining.
Delap takes out his frustrations on Pickford with a needless late challenge, and inevitably gets booked. Everton coasting here. Ipswich don’t seem to believe they can get a goal back. On come Sam Szmodics and Jack Taylor in a bid to pep up a diving boots in custard-paced performance.
They are still 1-0 up at St. James’ Park and are into added time, which there will probably be a lot of after Danny Welbeck’s injury.
Sensational nut-meg from Calvert-Lewin on the touchline to ruin Burns’ day further. The Wales winger is duly hooked in a double substitution that sees Ipswich throw on a second Clarke – defender Harry. Everton attacking at will at the moment so I suppose that makes sense.
Danny Welbeck had been lying on the pitch for several minutes with a stretcher brought on to take him off the field. The striker collapsed holding his back and has now been carried off to a standing ovation.
We are going to have double digits injury time here with Newcastle chasing an equaliser. They have had 18 shots on goal, six on target and have dominated the second half in much the same way they dominated the first.
But they cannot find a goal and Brighton are doing well to deprive them of attacking momentum.
Home fans making some noises of encouragement but Ipswich are getting over-run in midfield so far in the second period. Calvert-Lewin has just poked a decent enough chance wide but Delap is fighting for scraps at the other end.
It was just a matter of minutes ago that Southampton were 2-0 up. Now it is 2-2 at St. Mary’s and the home side are down to 10 men. Ryan Fraser has been sent off after a VAR review and Jamie Vardy has stepped up to score the resulting penalty.
It looks like game, set and match in west London as an Issa Diop own goal has given Unai Emery’s side a 3-1 lead, with Fulham down to 10 men.
Game over. Moments after Marco Silva brought on Issa Diop to replace the dismissed Andersen, the defender pokes a Lucas Digne cross past Leno and into his own net to make it 3-1. One of those avoidable own goals. A pity, too, for Leno who was Unai Emery’s keeper when the pair were together at Arsenal five seasons ago.
There have been three goals, a missed penalty and now a red card. Joachim Andersen is shown a straight red for taking Ollie Watkins out and he was the last man, so the red card came out.
Another iffy decision by Darren England. Watkins had beaten Joachim Andersen for pace, but was the defender’s lean into the England striker enough to warrant a red card. This time, no intervention from VAR. Fulham down to 10 men. Hard to see a way back for them now. Villa were top even before then.
They were 1-0 down at half-time but just after the hour mark they are now 2-1 up. Rasmus Hojlund is the man to put Manchester United into the lead for the first time today.
United are in front and what a superbly executed goal it was, too, much more in keeping with what fans expect to see here. They’ve been much improved in the second half United, keeping the ball better, forcing Brentford back and playing with more impetus and conviction. The goal originates from a well coordinated high press, which forced Nathan Collins to play down the line. Lisandro Martinez picked up the loose ball under no pressure and found Christian Eriksen who fizzed a pass into the feet of Bruno Fernandes. United’s captain had been subdued but his nonchalant flick into Hojlund was a treat – and the Dane then repaid such a deft touch with one of his own, coolly lifting the ball over the advancing Flekken. It was a beautiful goal and it could prove a big one for United and Ten Hag.
How will the nerves be for Southampton fans right now? They were 2-0 up but now their lead is cut in half. Facundo Buonanotte, who scored the only goal in Leicester’s only win so far against Bournemouth just before the international break, has got a goal back for Steve Cooper’s side.
They were 1-0 down inside five minutes but they are now 2-1 up on the hour mark. Ollie Watkins has scored his fifth Premier League goal of the season to give Aston Villa the lead. Andreas Pereira had the chance earlier from the spot to make it 2-1 to Fulham but now they trail by that same scoreline.
One of the headers of the Premier League season. Ollie Watkins’ timing to meet a Youri Tielemans corner as he moved away from the Fulham goal yet still powered it home just under the crossbar was a wonder to behold. It even drew gasps from the Fulham supporters. It also undid the work of Fulham keeper Bernd Leno, who had just pulled off two superb stops.
Only two minutes into the second half and Manchester United are back on level terms. Alejandro Garnacho has got the equaliser.
United are level and it’s a superb goal, Rashford picking out Garnacho with a fine pass that the Argentine then rifles on the volley across Flekken – he finds the difficult finishes the easier ones it seems that lad. It’s a superb strike having missed a couple of opportunities in the first period.
Forty-five minutes (plus another six) minutes of absolute chaos as Portman Road. Or, if you prefer players and officials not to be making glaring errors every five minutes, absolute rubbish. No doubting the quality of the finishes from Ndiaye and Keane however.
United were furious about Brentford’s goal in the fifth minute of stoppage. Ethan Pinnock hammered home a header from a corner after Diogo Dalot had lost the Brentford defender but United were livid about being forced down to 10 men after De Ligt was ordered off the pitch for the third time to get treatment for a head wound. Van Nistelrooy was booked for his protestations on the touchline and had still not calmed down by the time the teams disappeared down the tunnel, Ten Hag’s assistant having to be dragged away from the officials. Whether De Ligt reappears for the second half remains to be seen but Ten Hag may be regretting his decision not to replace the defender when he needed treatment for a second time.  
As they approach half-time after the delayed start at Portman Road Everton are now 2-0 up after Michael Keane’s goal.
Ipswich dither in defence again, they just can’t get the ball away under pressure following a corner needlessly conceded in the first place by Cameron Burgess. Keane, of all people, is found in space on the left and the centre-back produces a striker’s finish to double Everton’s lead.
Boos ringing around Old Trafford as Brentford lead Manchester United 1-0 at half-time. Some of that might be reserved for the officials as the Manchester United fans are unhappy that they were down to 10 men when Brentford scored. Matthijs de Ligt was receiving treatment for the third time in the half for blood from his head when the goal went in. As things stand Manchester United would be just four points clear of the relegation zone.
A half full of joyous attacking intent. Both sides trying to prise open the other, no thought for slowing the game down, pure pedal to the metal with the aim of scoring one more than their opponents. After the two early goals, Fulham missed their penalty, but, equally, Villa can point to a Morgan Rogers side-footed shot after 42 minutes which skewed wide of an open half of the Fulham net before Jimenez nodded over with the final touch of the half. 
More of the same in the second  period, please.
Deep into added time at the end of the first half at Old Trafford Brentford have just taken the lead. Ethan Pinnock is the man to get the goal and Brentford lead Manchester United 1-0.
ETHANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN🔴 0 – 1 🐝#MUNBRE | @london_pride pic.twitter.com/mviAqNQ4Kh
Brighton have the lead over Newcastle thanks to Danny Welbeck’s goal.
Ipswich thought they were about to have a chance to equalise against Everton but their penalty has been overturned. They were given the penalty initially after an incident between McNeil and Clarke but the penalty is chalked off.
Michael Keane booked for barging Omari Hutchinson over – and referee Michael Oliver awards a penalty when the free-kick is recycled into a crowded box. Clarke tries to dance his way through a forest of legs – and it looks like McNeil connected with him instead of the ball again. VAR checking…
VAR sends Oliver to his monitor and the penalty duly disappears. To away end cheers and home fan boos. Obviously. TV screens down here so no idea what convinced Oliver to change his mind. McNeil getting some ball after all? Probably.
#IPSEVE – 25′ VAR OVERTURNThe referee awarded a penalty to Ipswich for a foul by McNeil on Clarke. The VAR deemed that Clarke kicked the back of McNeil’s leg and that no foul was committed and recommended an on-field review. The referee overturned the original decision and play…
No goals in the opening 30 minutes at St. James’ Park but we now have a goal in the north east. Danny Welbeck scores his sixth goal in his last 10 Premier League games to give Brighton the lead.
Newcastle United have been in complete control of the first half against Brighton but did not turn that dominance into a goal. And you know what comes next, the visitors have taken the lead with their first effort on goal, a simple free kick played through the middle to Danny Welbeck, who plays a one-two with Ferdi Kadioglu and gets in behind. The last ditch tackle from Tino Livramento is weak but the Brighton striker does really well to roll the ball into the corner.
Newcastle had not been troubled once up to that point and have missed several chances to take the lead, the best of them both falling to Isak, who air-kicked six yards out and shot straight at goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen when played in for a one on one by Bruno.
At Portman Road it is 17th vs 16th and it is the team in 16th who score the opener. Iliman Ndiaye has scored it for Everton.
Calamity continues as Ipswich gift Everton another chance – and this time Iliman Ndiaye crashes it into the roof of the net. Wes Burns was the man at fault for a poor touch in his own box – real head in hands stuff. Calvert-Lewin follows up with another shot that Muric saves. Ipswich rocking here.
Now Jordan Pickford is adding to the chaos. The England keeper comes racing out of his box on the right and pings a pass that Jack Harrison can barely control. Harrison, for some reason, decides his best option is to send the ball high into the middle of his own half despite the fact that his goalkeeper has joined him on the touchline. Pickford scrambles back as Delap shanks a shot wide.
Russell Martin’s side are looking for their first win in the Premier League this season and through half an hour they are in a great position to do so. Joe Aribo has doubled Southampton’s lead after Cameron Archer’s early goal and they lead Leicester 2-0.
After falling behind, Leicester had started to get a grip on the game, but Southampton’s second goal has rocked them. Saints still persisting with playing out from the back, though there are a few more long balls today. Kyle Walker-Peters has been outstanding down the left.
Now Everton miss a sitter. Kalvin Phillips gifts a pass to Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has only goalkeeper Aro Muric to beat. Except that he can’t and it stays 0-0. Surely not for long on this showing, although Dwight McNeil has just kicked Clarke instead of the ball to waste another Toffees chance.
Andreas Pereira steps up but Emiliano Martinez saves. It remains 1-1 at Craven Cottage.
Here we go again. Maybe the international break has made referees and VAR officials forget the handball law. Yes, Jimenez’s header struck the hand of Matty Cash but it was from barely a foot away. Penalty, said referee Darren England. Justice served as Emi Martinez held onto to Andreas Periera’s weak spot-kick. As the Argentine celebrated with the Villa fans behind his goal, Cash jumped onto his keeper’s back to join in.
Fulham are pleading for a penalty for handball against Matty Cash but initially those appeals are waved away. However referee Darren England has been sent to the screen by Paul Tierney on VAR. The decision is changed and Fulham a penalty.
United’s first sight of goal comes as Flekken spills a header from Martinez from a corner and the ball bounces off Hojlund – the Brentford keeper atoning for initial error by scooping the ball away. United fans: “Attack, attack, attack”
Heavy fall after challenging for a high ball for Ipswich’s Leif Davis as the game gets underway at 3.16pm. Thankfully the left-back is OK and gets back into position rubbing his head. There’s barely an empty seat here so the turnstiles must have played ball eventually.
The first chance falls to Ipswich but Jack Clarke shins Wes Burns’ pull-back to the penalty spot over. He was completely unmarked too.
We’re 15 minutes in and it’s all Brentford. It’s hard to remember Fernandes and Rashford touching the ball for United.
Ipswich’s game against Everton had been delayed by 15 minutes due to issues at the turnstiles but they are now under way.
Fulham’s lead did not last long as Morgan Rogers scores an equaliser for Aston Villa. Two goals at Craven Cottage inside the opening 10 minutes.
From the beauty of Jimenez’s renaissance to a beast of a deflection in a matter of moments. Morgan Rogers’ shot was in the hopeful category until it caught the outstretched leg of Calvin Bassey and rolled into one side of the goal while Leno was diving the other way. 1-1. It surely won’t stay that way.
Southampton started the day second bottom on just one point as they go in search of their first win of the season. This is the perfect start for Russell Martin’s side as Cameron Archer has scored to give them the lead over Leicester.
The first goal of the 3pm kick-offs comes at Craven Cottage as Raul Jimenez has scored inside five minutes against Aston Villa.
Wow. What a start. I think we can safely say now that Raul Jimenez is finally back to the form he showed for Wolves prior to the horrific head injury he suffered at Arsenal four years ago next months. Seizing on a long clearance by Bernd Leno, outmuscling Pau Torres and sweeping his shot into the bottom corner. 1-0 Fulham.
Not inside the opening 90 seconds but Brentford nearly took the lead through Kevin Schade. Manchester United did win the coin toss so Brentford were denied taking the kick-off but they were not far off going 1-0 up inside three minutes.
It’s a back four for United with Evans in the middle alongside De Ligt and Martinez at left back. And United were grateful there to Evans for preventing Brentford from scoring another quick fire goal, with his touch taking the ball off the foot of Kevin Schade who was primed to convert Janelt’s cross from six yards. 
Erik ten Hag talks all the time about this being a young, developing United team that needs to grow. Not today it isn’t. The average age of the starting XI is over 27 and there are four 30 somethings in the side in Jonny Evans, Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes. 20-year-old Alejandro Garnacho and the 21-year-old Rasmus Hojlund are the only players who could be classed as young. 
We are under way in four of the five 3pm kick-offs.
Well there goes one of the more intriguing subplots of the Premier League weekend with the news that Yankuba Minteh has not made the trip to face former club (if you can call a club you never played a senior game for that) Newcastle United.
Minteh was sold to Brighton for £35m in the summer, following a season on loan at Feyenoord, to enable the Magpies to comply with PSR.
Much has been made of how that decision could come back to bite them but it won’t be this weekend as the youngster is injured.
Newcastle, though, do welcome back another exciting youngster with Lewis Miley on the bench for the first time this season after a foot injury. Alexander Isak is also back in the starting line up for all you Fantasy Football fans out there.
At four of the five grounds the teams are out with kick-offs just moments away. There is a delay to kick-off at Portman Road, where they will be commencing 15 minutes later than everywhere else.
Kick-off delayed until 3.15pm because of problems getting in to Portman Road.
A club statement read: “We are aware of an issue with the turnstiles, impacting supporters’ entry to Portman Road ahead of this afternoon’s game. We ask for your patience as we work on a solution.”
There’s a feel-good factor by the Thames today. Two upwardly mobile sides, short sleeves aplenty on a late summer’s roaster and an opportunity to regain the momentum stalled by the international break.
Another major change at Craven Cottage this afternoon comes in the form of the extra quadrant of seats newly opened in Fulham’s Riverside Stand. They will amount to 8,000 in total when it finally welcomes its full complement. 
It’s just the 8,214 days since Ipswich last won a Premier League match. Darren Bent scored the only goal against Middlesbrough on April 24 2002. Liam Delap, who wasn’t even born then, is the man most likely to emulate ex-England man Bent having already netted four times since leaving Manchester City in the summer, including both in the 2-2 draw with Aston Villa in Town’s last home game.
Darren Fletcher played over 200 times for Manchester United and is now on Erik ten Hag’s coaching staff. His son, Jack, is in the matchday squad for Manchester United today. The 17-year-old was in the Manchester City academy before swapping the blue side of Manchester for red. If he comes off the bench today it would be a senior debut for the England Under-18 midfielder.
He has survived, for now! But victory is essential for Erik ten Hag today. He will be well aware of Brentford’s lightning-fast starts recently; they have scored inside the opening 90 seconds in their last four matches. So Manchester United need to be switched on immediately.
Tottenham have beaten West Ham 4-1 and, to make matters worse for Julen Lopetegui’s side, they had Mohammed Kudus, who had given West Ham the lead in the early stages, sent off late on. The pressure is ramping up on Lopetegui, with West Ham currently sitting in 14th place and could be lower by the end of the day. You can follow all the reaction to Tottenham’s win with our live blog.
Southampton: Ramsdale; Bednarek, Harwood-Bellis, Walker-Peters; Sugawara, Aribo, Fernandes, Downes, Manning; Dibling, Archer.
Substitutes: McCarthy, Taylor, Smallbone, Ugochukwu, Lallana, Kamaldeen, Fraser, Armstrong, Onuachu.
Leicester City: Hermansen; Justin, Faes, Okoli, Kristiansen; Ndidi, Skipp; Buonanotte, El Khannouss, Mavididi; Vardy.
Substitutes: Ward, Ricardo, Coady, Winks, Soumare, De Cordova-Reid, Ayew, Fatawu, Edouard.
Newcastle vs Brighton
Newcastle: Pope, Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall, Joelinton, Tonali, Guimaraes, Gordon, Murphy, Isak.
Substitutes: Vlachodimos, Barnes, Krafth, Kelly, Almiron, Willock, Longstaff, Osula, Miley.
Brighton: Verbruggen, Veltman, Julio, Dunk, Kadioglu, Rutter, Baleba, Ayari, Hinshelwood, Welbeck, Ferguson.
Substitutes: Steele, Lamptey, Gruda, Enciso, Moder, Mitoma, Wieffer, Van Hecke, Estupinan.
Ipswich vs Everton
Ipswich: Muric, Davis, Woolfenden, O’Shea, Burgess, Phillips, Morsy, Burns, J Clarke, Hutchinson, Delap.
Substitutes: Walton, H Clarke, Chaplin, Taylor, Ogbene, Townsend, Szmodics, Hirst, Broadhead.
Everton: Pickford, Young, Keane, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Gueye, Doucoure, Ndiaye, McNeil, Harrison, Calvert-Lewin.
Substitutes: Virginia, Begovic, Patterson, Mangala, Beto, O’Brien, Coleman, Armstrong, Dixon.
Manchester United vs Brentford
Manchester Utd: Onana; De Ligt, Martinez, Evans, Dalot; Casemiro, Eriksen; Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund
Substitutes: Bayindir, Lindelof, Mazraoui, Zirkzee, Amad, Antony, Ugarte, Wheatley, Fletcher
Brentford: Flekken; Van den Berg, Collins, Pinnock, Ajer; Janelt, Norgaard; Mbeumo, Damsgaard, Lewis-Potter; Schade
Substitutes: Valdimarsson, Wissa, Carvalho, Mee, Yarmoliuk, Meghoma, Konak, Trevitt, Roerslev
Fulham vs Aston Villa
Fulham: Leno, Tete, Bassey, Andersen, Adama, Berge, Iwobi, Pereira, Smith Rowe, Robinson, Jimenez.
Substitutes: Benda, Reed, Wilson, Muniz, Cairney, Nelson, King, Sessegnon, Diop
Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Carlos, Torres, Digne, Tielemans, Onana, Ramsey, Rogers, Bailey, Watkins.
Substitutes: Gauci, Konsa, Barkley, McGinn, Duran, Buendia, Philogene, Maatsen, Kamara
Eddie Howe and Graham Potter are at the top of the list of seven of the most prominent English and British coaches who the Football Association did not interview for the post of permanent England manager.
FA chief executive Mark Bulligham claimed that he and technical director John McDermott had interviewed 10 coaches, including “some English candidates”, before giving the job to Thomas Tuchel.
But Telegraph Sport knows of at least seven of the top English and British coaches who were not interviewed, which raises major questions over Bullingham’s claim. Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti has also denied that he was approached.
Matt Law and Sam Wallace have all the latest.
Erik ten Hag has admitted Manchester United cannot match the standards set by Sir Alex Ferguson in their current state and says no one at the club is happy about their struggles.
But the United manager insisted they cannot hide from the pressure and expectation and is convinced the club will be successful on his watch.
To read more from our northern football correspondent James Ducker, click here.
Understatement of the century! Erik ten Hag has just about held onto his job during the international break but a win for his Manchester United side this afternoon at Old Trafford against Brentford is crucial to say the least. They have just eight points from their first seven games and defeat today could in theory leave them just four points clear of the relegation zone.
How the game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has turned around? West Ham went 1-0 up through Mohammed Kudus but Tottenham have fired back to lead 4-1. There are just over ten minutes remaining and you can follow the remainder of that match with our dedicated live blog.
UTS ✊ pic.twitter.com/OVkOeKBG3u
Here’s how we start at St. Mary’s 🦊#SOULEI pic.twitter.com/I0QB37hBRd
 
Today’s Town team. 🔢#IPSEVE | @Nustone_UK pic.twitter.com/6OxBUuJKp6
Your Everton XI to take on @IpswichTown! 🔵 #IPSEVE pic.twitter.com/lNZpuZK2p1
HOWAY NEWCASTLE! ✊ pic.twitter.com/5HPlLriPwW
TEAM NEWS! 🚨 Here’s our starting XI to face @NUFC in the @PremierLeague. 👀📝 pic.twitter.com/s3yPytSe5k
Marco Silva’s Fulham. 👊#FULAVL pic.twitter.com/dv86xeahAQ
Your Aston Villa starting XI this afternoon 🟣#FULAVL || #UpTheVilla pic.twitter.com/SGZIvhpsFI
📋 Your United XI to take on Brentford 🤝#MUFC || #MUNBRE
Your Bees to face United 🐝#MUNBRE pic.twitter.com/Narjbl80hf
The Premier League is back from the October international break and we have you covered with all the three o’clock kick-offs.
Erik ten Hag continues to remain under huge pressure but he has survived for now and his Manchester United side play Brentford at Old Trafford. The hierarchy at the club held a monthly board meeting last week which lasted around six hours but for now at least ten Hag has kept his job. One man who could have replaced ten Hag at Manchester United, Thomas Tuchel, is now the new England manager. Ten Hag will not have Kobbie Mainoo available to him after the midfielder was ruled out for a few weeks with a muscle injury. Manchester United will also be without Mason Mount, Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire.
At Craven Cottage Fulham take on Aston Villa. The home side have started the season well, going into this game in eighth place, three points behind their opponents, who are outside the Champions League places on goal difference.
Ipswich are still searching for their first win on their return to the top flight. Kieran McKenna’s side begin the day in 17th place and they host an Everton side who sit just one place and point above their opponents.
At St. James’ Park seventh-place Newcastle host Brighton, who are ahead of Eddie Howe’s side on goal difference. A few days after England confirmed the appointment of Thomas Tuchel as their new manager, Newcastle boss Howe confirmed yesterday that he was not contacted about the job by the Football Association. Brighton went into the international break off the back of a dramatic victory over Tottenham; they were 2-0 down at half-time before turning the game around to win 3-2.
Southampton host Leicester at St. Mary’s, with Russell Martin’s side still looking for their first win. They are currently 19th, with just one point to their name after seven games. Leicester claimed their first victory on their return to the Premier League with a 1-0 home victory against Bournemouth just before the international break thanks to Facundo Buonanotte’s goal.
Tottenham are currently taking on West Ham at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Ange Postecoglou’s side were 1-0 down in the first half but are now 4-1 up an hour into the match. Later today, Bournemouth host Arsenal down on the south coast. You can follow that game later with Telegraph Sport.
Team news from all the 3pm kick-offs is coming shortly.