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.

Mikel Arteta insists he will continue to show emotion on the touchline despite landing himself with a ban for Arsenal’s trip to Aston Villa.

The Spaniard will not be in the dugout at Villa Park as Arsenal aim to strengthen their grip at the top of the Premier League after he received a third yellow card of the season in Tuesday’s last-gasp victory at Luton.

The Gunners came from behind to win 4-3 as Declan Rice headed in the decider deep into stoppage time, with Arteta cautioned by referee Samuel Barrott, who deemed he had excessively celebrated the goal.

However, Arteta – who could face a further touchline ban following a Football Association charge for his post-match comments after the controversial loss at Newcastle – does not want to rein in his demeanour.

“I don’t know how to stop it,” he said.

“It was a really emotional moment with everybody bouncing around and you lose sense of where you are and the space you have to be in.

“It was unfortunate as now I cannot be next to my team on the touchline but it is a decision that they make looking strictly at the rules.

“After that I straight away sat on my seat and stayed there for 30 seconds but that was after the emotion. In the moment I think it is very difficult to demand that.”

Asked if he would actually want to stop showing his emotion, Arteta replied: “If I was given the opportunity, no.

“I would like to be with my players because we work closely every single day to achieve what we want, which is to win the games and when you get those moments in sport you should be able to do that.

“I understand as well that there are certain boundaries and you have to respect that you are at an away ground but if I was given the chance I would be there jumping.”

Arteta did suggest that not all managers have been punished for similar reactions, adding: “Maybe we have to extend (the technical area). We just need a very strong rope, or we don’t move. But it means we don’t move – all of us.

“The ‘we’ is different in the context and it is important to look at the ‘we’ in that context.”

Arteta will be in the directors’ box at Villa Park but will be allowed to take the pre-match team-talk and join his players in the dressing room at half-time and full-time before completing his media obligations.

Arsenal will be trying to become the first team to win at Villa since they themselves scored twice in stoppage time to seal a 4-2 victory in February.

Since then Unai Emery has overseen 14 successive home Premier League wins and will be keen to put one over his former club, with Villa sitting third in the table heading into the weekend.

Emery was chosen to replace Arsene Wenger at Arsenal in 2018 but was sacked just 18 months later to be replaced by Arteta.

The pair both hail from the Basque Country – where fellow coaches Julen Lopetegui, Xabi Alonso and Andoni Iraola also grew up.

Arteta admits Emery was a manager he looked up to as he started out on his own coaching career, saying: “He’s the most experienced and the most successful one, by quite a long distance with everything he’s achieved in the game and everything he’s won. He’s someone I admire.

“I followed him since he was in Almeria and for every team he has always been remarkable. He always improves the players, the team and the club.

“He’s Basque like I am and he is a manager that I really admire for what he has done in the game.

“He has done it in various countries at different levels and always been successful. I am really happy for him.”