Manchester United’s bench and Matthijs de Ligt was incandescent that Brentford were allowed to score while he was off the pitch in Saturday’s 2-1 comeback win.
The Dutchman was a bystander for Ethan Pinnock’s headed goal from a corner on the stroke of half-time after he was forced off to be treated for a head injury.
De Ligt was filmed abandoning his treatment and kicking a ball away in fury after Pinnock’s goal while the bench descended into anarchy.
Erik ten Hag was booked for his argument with fourth official Gavin Ward and his assistant Ruud van Nistelrooy suffered the same fate after his animated protests towards him.
United’s manager credited their second-half comeback via goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund to their ‘fury’, with coach Darren Fletcher also reportedly having kicked off in the tunnel.
Matthijs de Ligt booted a ball away in fury after Brentford scored while he was being treated
Manchester United’s assistant manager Ruud van Nistelrooy protested vehemently over it
Erik ten Hag and Van Nistelrooy were booked for their reactions after being left with 10 men to defend the corner at the end of the first half, with De Ligt’s head covered in blood
Man United’s defender suffered a nasty head collision and needed treatment three times
De Ligt had suffered a nasty head injury early in the game when he collided with the knee of Brentford forward Kevin Schade, leading to lengthy medical attention to stop the bleeding.
He had to come off for treatment on his blood-soaked head on two other occasions, one of which was just before half-time when Pinnock scored.
Boos rang around Old Trafford in annoyance that the set-piece had been allowed to go ahead by referee Samuel Barrott.
The venom was no weaker minutes after the goal. According to the Manchester Evening News, United coach Fletcher ‘went ballistic’ at fourth official Ward at half-time.
Ten Hag claimed Manchester United’s ‘mad and angry’ players used the supposed injustice around Brentford’s goal to inspire their comeback.
‘We were mad at that, we were angry at half-time,’ Ten Hag explained after their first Premier League victory in over a month.
‘It was not perfect but we controlled the game. We didn’t concede chances and felt it was an injustice to concede as we did.
‘Every game we win is important and I think again this team you see the togetherness and the fighting spirit.
Coach Darren Fletcher also reportedly ‘went ballistic’ at the fourth official in the tunnel
Second-half goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund earned the win for United
Ten Hag credited the players’ ‘fury’ at how they conceded for their inspired comeback
‘Today we added some determination to score goals and that is what we need.’
Asked specifically why he and his coaching staff were so irked by the insistence that a bleeding De Ligt was forced off three times for treatment, Ten Hag doubled down on his reasons.
‘It was dry blood,’ he said. ‘So it was already treated and just dry blood so none of us understood why he was sent off. I went over and asked him.
‘It was a huge moment as Brentford is very good at corners and when you miss one of your best headers of course you are disappointed.’
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