Man United set for Champions League return after 2-1 win over Brentford
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MANCHESTER, England, April 27 : Manchester United's Casemiro and Benjamin Sesko struck first-half goals to secure a 2-1 Premier League home win over Brentford on Monday, taking their side to the brink of Champions League football for the first time since the 2023-24 season.
Third-placed United moved to 61 points, 11 ahead of sixth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion with four games left. The top five qualify for next season's Champions League.
With the prize of European football almost within their grasp, the home side came flying out of the traps as Kobbie Mainoo danced through the Brentford penalty area before slipping the ball to Amad in the second minute, but his shot deflected off a defender and went behind for a corner.
Brentford goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher was called into action in the eighth minute when he had to claw away a header from Harry Maguire to prevent it crossing the line.
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The visitors didn't heed the warning and three minutes later United went ahead, Maguire winning another header from a corner and sending the ball back across goal for Casemiro, who had stolen in behind the defence, to nod into the net from a tight angle.
Brentford striker Igor Thiago had an off night, stumbling as he prepared to pull the trigger with the goal at his mercy in the 35th minute, and he let a number of other first-half chances go begging.
United managed to double their lead two minutes later as Bruno Fernandes led a three-on-two counter-attack, and the Portuguese playmaker slipped the ball for Sesko to steer past Collins and lash into the net.
With United seeking to defend their lead, the second half was a tight affair until Mathias Jensen ensured a nerve-jangling finish for the home side with a goal out of nowhere for Brentford in the 87th minute, but they couldn’t conjure an equaliser as the home side held on to win.
The victory means United are now 12 points behind Arsenal and nine adrift of second-placed Manchester City. Liverpool are three points behind Michael Carrick's side in fourth place, with the two rivals meeting at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Brentford are ninth on 48 points among several clubs still in with a chance of making the Europa League.
"We have to push until the last minute. It's important to bring the energy we brought today and we believe we can manage it," goal-scorer Sesko said of his side being on the cusp of qualifying for the Champions League.
"It was tough, because we knew we faced a difficult team but we managed to hold the score until the end and we deserved the victory."
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