LONDON: Scott McTominay’s stoppage-time double gave Manchester United a dramatic 2-1 win at home against Brentford, while 10-man Tottenham climbed to the top of the Premier League after a 1-0 victory at Luton on Saturday.
Troubled United were just moments away from a third defeat in the space of seven days at Old Trafford before McTominay came to the rescue.
Beaten by Crystal Palace last weekend and then Galatasaray in the Champions League on Tuesday, Erik ten Hag’s side were breached in shambolic fashion after 26 minutes.
Casemiro gave the ball away under no pressure, Victor Lindelof made a hash of his attempted clearance and Mathias Jensen’s low shot beat Andre Onana’s weak save.
Against a Brentford team without a win since Aug. 19, ninth-placed United were booed off at halftime and labored for long periods before finally equalizing in the 90th minute.
McTominay came off the bench to level three minutes into stoppage time with a close-range strike.
And the Scotland midfielder won it in the 97th minute, producing a powerful header from Maguire’s assist to ease the pressure on Ten Hag.
“We gave the first goal away. It was so disappointing to see that. It can’t be this way,” Ten Hag said.
“This has to be the turning point, the reset, in our approach, our attitudes, as a team and as individuals.
“You have to earn the right to play for the club. That is not always what we have seen in the last few weeks.”
At Kenilworth Road, Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma was sent off just before half-time, earning a needless second booking for diving.
But Micky van de Ven’s first goal for the club soon after the interval clinched unbeaten Tottenham’s sixth win in eight league games.
Ange Postecoglou’s side sit two points clear of second-placed Manchester City, who travel to title rivals Arsenal on Sunday.
“We showed a lot of character and resilience,” Postecoglou said. “The players want to change the destiny of this football club and that is what they are trying to do on the pitch.”
Raheem Sterling proved a point to England manager Gareth Southgate by inspiring Chelsea’s 4-1 rout of Burnley.
Sterling has again been left out of the England squad for the forthcoming matches against Australia and Italy.
But the winger showed his class by playing a role in three Chelsea goals at Turf Moor as Mauricio Pochettino’s team won for a third successive game in all competitions.
French teenager Wilson Odobert celebrated his first Premier League start by giving Burnley a shock lead after 15 minutes.
Chelsea equalized in the 42nd minute when Ameen Al-Dakhil accidently diverted Sterling’s cross into the net for an own goal.
The Blues went ahead five minutes into the second half after Sterling was fouled by Vitinho and Cole Palmer converted the penalty for his first goal since signing from Manchester City in August.
Sterling capped his virtuoso display in the 65th minute with a clinical finish from Conor Gallagher’s pass, with Nicolas Jackson netting Chelsea’s fourth 10 minutes later.
“I’m so pleased because he needs to feel the net. He is a player with experience that can provide very good things for the team,” Pochettino said of Sterling.
Everton cruised to a 3-0 win against second bottom Bournemouth at Goodison Park.
Sean Dyche’s side took an eighth-minute lead when James Garner bagged his second goal in three games.
Jack Harrison scored Everton’s second with a superb 30-yard lob that caught Neto off his line in the 37th minute.
Abdoulaye Doucoure’s close-range finish on the hour wrapped up Everton’s second league victory this season.
Fulham beat winless Sheffield United 3-1 thanks to Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s opener, Wes Foderingham’s own goal and Willian’s late strike.
Antonee Robinson’s own goal had briefly drawn bottom of the table United level at Craven Cottage before their late collapse.
In the day’s late game, Crystal Palace shared a goalless draw with Nottingham Forest at Selhurst Park.
