Second-half goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund sealed a 2-1 win for Manchester United over Brentford at Old Trafford, ending a five-match winless run for Erik ten Hag's side.
It has been United's worst-ever start to a Premier League season having won just two of their opening seven matches, and it looked as though the afternoon would follow a similar pattern when Ethan Pinnock put Brentford ahead in first-half stoppage time with a powerful header.
After a poor first-half showing from the home side, they found themselves level just two minutes into the second half courtesy of a fantastic Garnacho volley, before Hojlund put the hosts in front just after the hour mark with a delicate chip to complete the comeback.
United hung on to a crucial win which saw them climb above Brentford and into the top half of the Premier League table.
Story of the Match
Ten Hag made three changes to his side that drew 0-0 with Aston Villa in their last outing, with Lisandro Martínez, Matthijs De Ligt and Casemiro coming in to replace Noussair Mazraoui and the injured duo of Harry Maguire and Kobbie Mainoo.
Due to United's growing injury list, Ten Hag named 17-year-old Jack Fletcher amongst the substitutes for the first time, the son of former Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher.
As for Brentford, Thomas Frank fielded the same starting 11 that ran out 5-3 winners over Wolverhampton Wanderers before the international break as the Bees looked to get their first win at Old Trafford since 1937.
Brentford had scored inside 80 seconds in their previous four games, and they almost found themselves ahead inside the opening three minutes against the Red Devils as Vitaly Janelt played an inviting ball across the face of goal, but Kevin Schade could not make the necessary contact to turn the ball goalwards from close range.
The visitors dominated the opening 20 minutes of the match, although Ten Hag's side nearly went in front against the run of play when Mark Flekken fumbled the ball from a Martinez header from a corner. The ball deflected off the leg of Hojlund and trickled towards goal, but the Brentford keeper was able to flick the ball off the line.
Brentford continued to look the more threatening side, and they forced a fantastic save out of André Onana on the half-hour mark as Christian Nørgaard let fly from 20 yards out with the ball looking destined for the top corner, but the Cameroonian international was on hand to turn the ball away with a superb save.
United grew into the game as the half progressed and they ended the first half with a flurry of chances, but they lacked a clinical edge in front of goal with both Garnacho and Hojlund wasting good opportunities after some neat build-up play, and they were ultimately made to pay for those wasted opportunities in first-half stoppage time.
Pinnock's bullet header from Mikkel Damsgaard's corner found Onana's top corner to give the visitors a deserved lead, much to the displeasure of the United players.
They were furious as De Ligt had been instructed by referee Samuel Barrott to leave the pitch with a bloodied head prior to the corner, an injury that United's medical team had been nursing throughout the half.
Despite their protests, it did not change the fact that they headed into the break a goal down with plenty to ponder ahead of a crucial second-half.
Second Half
Ten Hag had to get his team talk right at the break, and whatever he said to his players worked a treat as United got back on level terms in the opening two minutes of the second half. Marcus Rashford played a cross towards the back post where Garnacho arrived unmarked, and the winger volleyed the ball beyond Flekken in emphatic fashion to send the home fans wild.
United flew out of the blocks to start the second half, and the Argentine almost got his second goal of the game just minutes later but his long-range effort was denied by the fingertips of Flekken.
Confidence was flowing for United, and they finally took the lead just after the hour mark in some style. Hojlund was played through on goal courtesy of a fantastic flick on the edge of the area from Bruno Fernandes, and the Dane delicately chipped the ball over Flekken to complete the turnaround for Ten Hag's men.
It was one-way traffic after the half-time break, with Diogo Dalot nearly getting in on the act after finding himself one-on-one with Flekken thanks to a brilliant ball from Onana, but the Brentford shot-stopper was once again on hand to save his side and deny the defender.
Having looked threatening every time they went forward in the first-half, Brentford struggled to create any chances in the second 45 minutes against a much more organised United defence.
United were able to hang on and earned a valuable three points, much to the relief of Ten Hag who was visibly elated after the full-time whistle.
Player of the Match - Alejandro Garnacho
On a day where United started slowly and were in desperate need of some creativity, Garnacho provided the spark in the second half that ultimately swung the game in the favour of the home side.
The forward was lively towards the end of the first half but was wasteful in front of goal. However, it was his brilliant volley in the opening stages of the second half which dragged his side back into the game, and he never looked back from then onwards.
He proved to be a pain for Sepp van den Berg down the left-hand side all afternoon, and if anything, he will be disappointed that he only scored the one goal.
