March 30th 2024.
According to former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, it was defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka who should shoulder the blame for Brentford's late equalizer in their 1-1 draw with the Red Devils. Substitute Mason Mount seemed to have secured a victory for United with a well-taken goal in stoppage time, but Kristoffer Ajer's goal in the 99th minute salvaged a point for the hosts.
Brentford, managed by Thomas Frank, had an impressive 31 shots in the game compared to United's 11, and the visitors' performance was a far cry from their recent victory against Liverpool in the FA Cup. The draw meant that Brentford now have a five-point gap between themselves and the relegation zone, while United remain in sixth place, trailing fourth-placed Aston Villa by 11 points.
In his post-match interview, United manager Erik ten Hag admitted that Brentford seemed to want the win more than his own players, and Schmeichel echoed this sentiment. Speaking on SuperSport, the legendary ex-United goalkeeper criticized the team's lackluster performance, saying, "Mason Mount has hardly made an impact since joining the club, but we've seen many times in United's history that someone comes on and becomes a hero."
However, Schmeichel also felt that Brentford's equalizer would have been undeserved had United held on for the win. He pointed out that the team's overall performance was lacking, with the players not showing enough effort and determination. "Brentford ran five kilometers more than us, and that tells a big story about what this game was all about. They were chasing every ball, with Ivan Toney dominating our defense," Schmeichel said.
The former United goalkeeper also highlighted the team's low standards, comparing it to the high expectations set by former manager Sir Alex Ferguson. "We grew up with Sir Alex Ferguson at the club, and he always demanded that we be proud of our performance on the pitch. We could lose 1-0, but he would say that was fine because the performance was there," Schmeichel explained.
Schmeichel then went on to criticize Wan-Bissaka for his role in Brentford's equalizer. He felt that the full-back's lack of focus and concentration cost the team the win, as he failed to track back and defend properly when Toney cut the ball back to Ajer. "Look at him walking off to the left, he's not even jogging. If he had been following the back-four line, Toney would have been offside and the goal wouldn't have happened," Schmeichel pointed out.
In conclusion, Schmeichel expressed his disappointment in the team's overall performance and lack of pride and high standards. He believed that Wan-Bissaka's mistake was a result of the team's overall lack of focus and determination, which ultimately cost them the win.
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