Brentford beat Championship side Sheffield Wednesday 5-4 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes of the EFL Cup fourth-round tie.

Thomas Frank's Premier League side went a goal ahead initially through forward Kevin Schade, but were unable to extend their lead, with Wednesday giving as good as they got despite having less of the ball.

Danny Rohl's visitors got themselves level 12 minutes into the second half through a lovely long-range Djeidi Gassama strike following an error by Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken.

With no winner forthcoming, the tie went to penalties. Nine perfect efforts followed before Liam Palmer saw the 10th and decisive spot kick saved by Flekken, booking the Bees' place in the last eight.

Elsewhere, Southampton beat Stoke 3-2 to secure more Premier League representation in the quarter-finals, but needed an 88th-minute winner to do so after letting a two-goal lead slip.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis and an Adam Armstrong penalty had the home side in control after 35 minutes. However, just before half-time, Ashley Phillips halved the deficit with a wonderful improvised finish after a scramble from a set-piece.

Tom Cannon levelled things up nine minutes into the second half and the Championship side nearly won it late on, as a ricocheted effort bobbled off Aaron Ramsdale, but was cleared before it reached the goal.

Almost immediately, the Saints carried the ball up the field and James Bree swept home the winner from outside the box.

Erik ten Hag says Manchester United used Brentford's "unfair" opener as fuel after they fought back for a vital 2-1 Premier League victory at Old Trafford.

United appeared to be heading for another demoralising loss when Ethan Pinnock headed home in first-half stoppage time, amid fury from United's players and fans.

The Red Devils were forced to defend the corner with 10 men as defender Matthijs de Ligt was ordered off the pitch for treatment after bleeding from his head – the result of an earlier collision with Kevin Schade.

While rules say players cannot be allowed to continue while bleeding, Ten Hag was incensed by referee Samuel Barrott asking him to leave the field.

"We didn't know why the referee brought one of our players in a critical moment off the pitch," he told BBC Match of the Day. 

"It was dry blood – it happened before. Then in a critical moment on a corner for them, which is their strength, they bring one of our best headers off and Brentford benefit from it."

However, he hailed United's powers of recovery as second-half goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund fired them to just their third Premier League win of the season.

"We are happy to win the game. At United, you have to win games but also to bring entertainment," the Dutchman continued. 

"I think for everyone it was an enjoyable game. Especially the way it happened, when you concede an unfair goal. 

"In the second half, we showed we are together, we showed determination and we scored two beautiful goals.

"Everyone was angry. We took that as fuel. We showed with a quick start in the second half that we wanted to put things right and we did with two beautiful goals."

Scored just 89 seconds after the restart, Garnacho's goal was United's quickest after half-time in a Premier League match since October 2022 (Fred versus Tottenham, 76 seconds), and their earliest leveller after the break since February 2014 (Robin van Persie versus Stoke City, 87 seconds).

United have now won all four of their home Premier League games against Brentford, meanwhile, only facing Wigan Athletic (eight), Birmingham City and Portsmouth (seven each) more often at Old Trafford while boasting a 100% win ratio.

Rob Edwards backed Luton to respond after their Premier League survival hopes were dealt a devastating blow following a painful 5-1 home loss to Brentford.

The 18th-placed Hatters knew victory would take them out of the relegation zone, but they were undone at Kenilworth Road by a slick attacking display from a Bees side without Ivan Toney due to his ongoing hip issue.

Thomas Frank watched Brentford run riot with Yoane Wissa scoring twice in the first half before Ethan Pinnock, Keane Lewis-Potter and Kevin Schade netted after the break.

Luke Berry hit a stoppage-time consolation for Luton, but they remain a point behind Nottingham Forest in 17th and two off Everton ahead of those clubs playing at Goodison Park on Sunday.

“Yeah, I am deflated and I am hurting right now because of the manner of the performance. I have never really had to come out too many times all year and say that wasn’t us. Today it wasn’t us,” Edwards reflected.

“How I feel is we’re in this. Today was a bad day for us as a club but the teams directly above us play each other and we will not be out of it this weekend. It’s important we all remember that.

“What we have to try and harness now is the spirit, quality, fight and intensity we’ve shown that has kept us in and around it this season. We know we have to go and show that with four games to go.”

A raucous reception greeted both players, but Brentford could have scored three times before Wissa rifled them ahead in the 24th minute with a superb snapshot.

The brilliant Bryan Mbeumo had set up that chance and created the next for Wissa when his cross was scuffed home by the Bees forward in first-half stoppage-time for his 10th goal of the season.

While Edwards introduced Berry at the break, the visitors hit Luton with a double sucker-punch when Pinnock powered home a header from a Sergio Reguilon corner after 62 minutes before Lewis-Potter nodded in Mbeumo’s centre two minutes later.

Brentford substitute Kevin Schade slotted home a fifth after Mbeumo had set Vitaly Janelt away with four minutes left before Berry grabbed an added-time consolation, which was followed by applause at full-time from the Luton fans.

Edwards added: “I have got to say thank you to the supporters who stuck with us. I apologise to them as well for having to live through that. A difficult day for them. We don’t want to go through that again so we’ve got to respond.

“The players know there needs to be a response. As I say, we still have an opportunity to be in the Premier League next season and we don’t want to give that up easily. After today I am pretty confident we will respond in the right way.”

After Brentford moved on to 35 points and 10 above Luton, Brentford boss Frank said: “Of course it was an important game but it was still one of the next five.

“I also know it would be good to beat Luton because then that little sneaky feeling in the back of the head in this relentless league is more or less out of the question.

“Five games unbeaten now, we need to continue playing well and doing well to end the season on a high.”

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