Thomas Frank praises Manchester United players and reacts to Matthijs de Ligt controversy
manchestereveningnews.co.ukBrentford boss Thomas Frank felt the referee made the right call when telling Matthijs de Ligt to leave the pitch before his side scored from a corner at Old Trafford.
De Ligt was asked to leave the pitch for treatment on a head wound for the third time in first-half stoppage time and Brentford made the numerical advantage count when Ethan Pinnock headed in.
United's players and coaching staff were furious at referee Sam Barrott and fourth official Gavin Ward, but Frank felt they were only following the rules and said if the situation had been reversed then the hosts would have wanted to take advantage as well. ALSO READ: United player ratings vs Brentford as Garnacho and Hojlund good ALSO READ: Manchester United use half-time tunnel anger to beat Brentford "I think it is good refereeing, if I am honest," he said. "If Manchester United took the corner and we took out Nathan Collins because he was bleeding, they would want to take the corner." The anger fuelled United's second-half comeback, however, and Alejandro Garnacho equalised within two minutes of the restart and Rasmus Hojlund netted a winner just after the hour mark.
Frank said his side were aware that a reaction would be forthcoming but also praised United's key men for their role in inspiring the turnaround. "A lot of their key players stepped up second half," he said. "We knew they would come out flying, we were way too passive.
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