Brentford held firm in the face of a late Manchester United onslaught to emerge with a 4-3 victory in front of their home fans on Sunday afternoon.

Ruben Amorim admitted that “pride” is all United have left to gain from this miserable Premier League season. “We have nothing [else] to fight for,” he sighed. Two late goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo applied a thin veneer of reputation restoration, although United were outplayed for large swathes of a deserved defeat.

With the club’s focus unashamedly shifted towards next week’s Europa League semi-final second leg against Athletic Club, Amorim named the youngest United starting XI in Premier League history. One of the more senior figures in the starting XI, Mason Mount, fired the visitors into a shock lead inside the opening quarter-hour, but Brentford would soon fight their way back into the contest.

The Bees forced their way in front with a pair of goals separated by just six first-half minutes. Mikkel Damsgaard bundled Brentford level from a long throw, inadvertently diverting the ball beyond Altay Bayindir via Luke Shaw’s barrel chest, before Kevin Schade nodded the hosts in front while Matthijs de Ligt was on the ground asking for treatment.

All 11 United players were on the pitch and upright by the time Schade headed in his second goal after 70 minutes, although, once again poor Tyler Fredicson was the only blue shirt anywhere near the German goalscorer. Yoane Wissa added a fourth four minutes later at the sharp end of a flowing move.

Garnacho and Amad restored some credibility with a pair of scorching efforts in the closing stages, although the pride that Amorim is chasing over the remainder of this domestic campaign remains thoroughly elusive.

*Ratings provided by FotMob*

Subs not used: Hakon Rafn Valdimarsson (GK), Ben Mee, Ethan Pinnock, Yunus Konak.

*Ratings provided by FotMob*

Subs not used: Tom Heaton (GK), Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, Rasmus Hojlund.