Brentford

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Of Igor Thiago's 22 goals this season, 19 have come in the Premier League leaving him jut three behind leading scorer Erling Haaland.

And it is the Brazilian's goals that have turned Brentford into unlikely Champions League contenders.

Thiago could celebrate an excellent season by helping his country in the World Cup after his first call-up to Carlo Ancelotti's squad.

Injury wrecked the 24-year-old's first season after a £30m move from Club Brugge with a meniscus injury suffered in pre-season setting him back almost immediately.

A joint infection also ruined his recovery and he made just eight appearances without scoring.

But since netting in the opening-day defeat at Nottingham Forest he has never gone more than six games without a goal. Then, he ended his mini drought with a hat-trick in the win at Everton in January.

Players at Brentford inevitably move on, like Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa in the summer, and Thiago is likely to eventually follow suit as it is the club's model.

But he is revelling in his form and fitness to become Brentford's main man this season, one which could still end with European qualification.

Brentford manager Keith Andrews, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "We are disappointed, but equally we need to understand why, I suppose. We created some opportunities and I felt like we could've had more if we had been a little more clinical and our decision-making a bit sharper. Second half I wanted us to be front-foot, and we couldn't get control of the game in the second half like in the first. We didn't do the basics as well and ultimately, we're frustrated with that."

On Wolves playing well: "That's for them to discuss. I think where Wolves are it's pretty obvious they've upped their game. I think some of the players need to have a good look in the mirror as to why they found themselves where they are. There is a lot of talent in that squad. They can cause you serious problems. That's for Rob and other people to discuss.

On the backpass: "I think there is enough officials in and around the pitch to identify whether it is a backpass or not. The fact I'm getting asked about it in every interview would suggest that most people would think it was a backpass."

On it not being seen as a reason for losing: "I'm not making an excuse at all, I'm giving my comment on the incident which made it 2-1 and a very different game going into half-time."

On their attacking threats in the first half: "We've got lots of different strengths to the way we can play the game. Thiago has had a big day. He has been called up for Brazil, which is huge for him. We want to be unpredictable and cause the opposition problems in any way we can. We did that on a good few occasions, in particular the first half."

On what the messaging will be going forwards: "I think it's really simple. If we produce a second half performance again, we will struggle. If we produce first-half performances of that level, then we will have a good end to the season."

Did you know?

• Brentford failed to win a Premier League game after going 2+ goals ahead for the first time in 37 games, last dropping points from such a position in December 2022 against Tottenham (2-2).

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Brentford's performance

What did you make of Wolves' display?

Come back on Tuesday for a selection of your replies

Sepp van den Berg and Mathias Jensen return for Brentford as they look to close the gap to the top five.

Kristoffer Ajer and Yehor Yarmoliuk drop to the bench following the Bees' FA Cup exit at West Ham.

Keith Andrews' side - currently seventh in the Premier League - will move just two points behind fifth-placed Liverpool with victory.

Brentford XI: Kelleher, Lewis-Potter, Collins, Van Den Berg, Kayode, Jensen, Henderson, Damsgaard, Schade, Thiago, Ouattara.

Subs: Valdimarsson, Pinnock, Yarmoliuk, Nelson, Ajer, Donovan, Furo, Bentt, Shield.

Wolves boss Rob Edwards makes four changes for their trip to west London.

Jose Sa, Ladislav Krejci, Andre and Adam Armstrong return for Wolves, bottom of the Premier League and looking to stage an improbable push for survival.

Toti Gomes, Angel Gomes and Tolu Arokodare drop to the bench, while goalkeeper Sam Johnstone is not in the squad.

Wolves XI: Sa, Tchatchoua, Mosquera, S Bueno, Krejci, H Bueno, Andre, J Gomes, Bellegarde, Mane, Armstrong.Subs: Bentley, Lima, Doherty, Toti, Wolfe, A Gomes, R Gomes, Hwang, Arokodare.

Subs: Bentley, Gomes, Arokodare, Pedro Lima, Doherty, Toti Gomes, Hwang Hee-Chan, Rodrigo Gomes, Moller Wolfe

Wolves have picked up but they are still the only Premier League side without an away win this season.

I don't see that changing here. Keith Andrews has done a brilliant job at Brentford and although they are out of the FA Cup they are still doing really well in the league.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Chris Adams
BBC Sport journalist

Brentford will be looking to bounce back from their FA Cup penalty shootout heartache when they welcome bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers to west London on Monday (20:00 GMT).

Dango unblamed

Keith Andrews' side crashed out of the cup at the fifth-round stage against West Ham United, but the head coach was quick to defend Dango Ouattara after the Burkina Faso winger's attempt at a Panenka failed miserably.

"He practises that technique a lot and will have the utmost support from me and everyone around," said the Irishman. No wonder his side have been running through brick walls for him all season.

The Bees sit seventh, well placed in the hunt for a European spot, largely thanks to 18-goal striker Igor Thiago's blistering form in front of goal. Ouattara has played his part in the support cast, chipping in with five, while Kevin Schade has seven.

Perhaps because of Thiago's style – he's made more runs into the opposition box (151) than any other player in the Premier League this season – Brentford have scored a higher percentage of their goals from inside the penalty area than any other team in the top flight.

After winning seven and losing just one of their first 11 league home games this season, Brentford have since lost two of their past three at Gtech Community Stadium. The Bees haven't suffered successive home league defeats since February 2025.

…And out come the Wolves

It may have taken until March but Wolverhampton Wanderers have finally won back-to-back league games. They have done it the hard way too, defeating two of the top six in Aston Villa and Liverpool, the latter of whom responded by dumping them out of the FA Cup three days later.

While Wolves remain rooted to the bottom and highly likely to go down, those victories have taken them well clear of Derby County's record for the lowest Premier League points total.

With that particular monkey off their backs, Rob Edwards' side can perhaps attack their remaining eight games of the season with a little less trepidation. A first league away win at the 15th attempt would be a good way to start.

Portuguese wing-back Rodrigo Gomes has emerged as something of a super sub in recent games, coming off the bench to score in those successive wins.

Four of his five league goals for Wolves have come as a substitute, including all three this season. Of all the players who have scored five or more goals in the competition's history, only two have netted a higher share from the bench than Gomes.

A double from Keane Lewis-Potter gave Brentford all three points at Molineux in December. Wolves are winless in their past four against this opposition, shipping 10 goals in the process.

No side at the bottom of the table on each matchday has won three consecutive top-flight games since Leicester City in 2015. If Wolves can match that feat, perhaps they can start dreaming of the great escape...

Image source, Getty Images

Brentford defender Nathan Collins says he is thrilled for Keith Andrews as he has had exposure to how hard his head coach has worked to earn his position.

Andrews took charge of the Bees during the summer - stepping up from set-piece coach - with some onlookers questioning his experience.

The 45-year-old is now attracting widespread praise in his first season as a head coach.

"I have known Keith a long time - since I was 16," Collins told The Football Interview on BBC Sounds.

"I had him Under-17s with Ireland. I was buzzing for him as I know how hard he has worked. He has that balance where he knows when to shout at you and when to be your mate. That man-management is really important."

In sitting down with Kelly Somers, Collins discusses his childhood, love of cooking and how he would spend a day off.

"If it's a weekday and good weather I'll play golf with a few of the lads here," he says.

"Me, Hakon Valdimarsson, Keane Lewis-Potter, Kristoffer Ajer. It's a good group and we do a little Ryder Cup style here as there are a lot of us - staff against players. We did it last year - 18 holes in the morning , lunch and 18 in the afternoon, really good fun. The players won."

Asked what people get wrong about him, 24-yearpold Collins said: "Maybe I get the stereotypical, 'he's just a footballer'. And then you get 'ah he's pretty nice to talk to'.

"The main thing I want to be is just a good person, a nice person, a caring person. As much as I want to be the best footballer I can ever be, I want to be the best person."

Listen in full on BBC Sounds

In this week's edition of The Football Interview, Kelly Somers speaks to Brentford captain Nathan Collins

Collins discusses his relationship with Bees boss Keith Andrews, the Republic of Ireland's chances of making the World Cup and plenty more.

Hit play above to hear the whole interview or listen on BBC Sounds here

Sean Byrne
BBC Sport journalist

Brentford boss Keith Andrews has been speaking to the media before Monday's Premier League game against Wolves at Gtech Community Stadium (kick-off 20:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On Reiss Nelson's availability: "Nelson is going to be part of the [training] group tomorrow. It'll be similar to last week - we'll see how it goes and then make a decision on his involvement."

• On Rico Henry, after he was ruled out with a hamstring injury last week: "He will be out for numerous weeks, for sure. It's a decent hamstring injury, so we just have to make sure we get that right for him, more so than us. We want him to get back to a good place." He added that he cannot give an exact date on when the club expects Henry to return.

• In other team news, Aaron Hickey (hamstring), Vitaly Janelt (metatarsal), and Josh Dasilva (knee ligament) remain unavailable.

• On Wolves: "They've clearly had a frustrating season, and they would've had higher aspirations than what they've produced."

• On opposing manager Rob Edwards: "Rob has built teams in his relatively young managerial career that have been really good and had promotions, with spirit and fight. What you've seen in recent weeks is what he's done before with other teams.

Got a question about Brentford? Get in touch and we'll seek answers

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

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Nevin was asked who this season's unsung hero was - and one of his two selections was Brentford's Keane Lewis-Potter.

There are a few players dotted around who do not start every week but, when they play, never let the team down.

They are happy to play wherever and whenever the manager asks them to.

‌I like this outlook and if I had to pluck one from quite a few it might be Keane Lewis-Potter at Brentford.

He regularly plays left full-back, left wing-back and left wing, but he has performed exceptionally in a bunch of other positions as well.

‌At 5ft 7in, he isn't the tallest so that makes that adaptability even more impressive.

Maybe most impressive of all for a Premier League player with over 100 appearances, he has the tiniest Wikipedia page imaginable.

The bio of his personal life reads, "Lewis-Potter attended St Mary's College, Hull." That's it, seven words, and two of them are hyphenated!

‌So yes, I think he can safely be my unsung hero generally going under the radar.

Sign up to read more from Pat Nevin in his Football Extra newsletter

Phil Parry
BBC Radio London reporter

Image source, Reuters

Some of your have used our Ask Me Anything about Brentford form to raise what's happening with Rico Henry's contract - which expires in the summer.

It was a real blow to see Henry suffer another injury the other night which will seriously curtail his 10th season at the club.

Head Coach Keith Andrews has confirmed that the left back will have a significant spell on the sidelines with the hamstring issue.

Since joining back in 2016 the former Walsall defender has been both a hugely important part of the club's rise into and sustained presence in the Premier League as well as being a popular player with the fans.

He has of course been beset with injuries including two ACL issues.

The most recent knee problem sustained in autumn 2023, and some setbacks in recovery, saw him miss a lot of football. During the current campaign though, we have observed the Jamaican International get back to his best.

Andrews certainly values what the 28-year-old offers, saying this week: "He epitomises the way I like the game to be played: aggressive and front-footed. And he's been a big, big part of what has been the best chapter in this club's history; he's been on the journey."

My understanding is that there is no reason why the club will not exercise a contract extension clause for Henry as he is seen as an important player in the squad and certainly suits the way the current coaching staff want to approach playing.

At the very least Henry is not a player that the Bees would want to make available on a free and there's no suggestion that he has any intention of going anywhere else.

His most recent injury blow might be a set back for Rico, but next season would be his 11th in West London, which is an incredible achievement, plus if he makes a good recovery and his International team mates do the business in the play-offs, he could enter it off the back of playing at a World Cup.

How good would that be.

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Brentford's majority owner Matthew Benham says head coach Keith Andrews proved to be an "outstanding" candidate at a time of high risk for the Bees.

Andrews - a former set-piece coach at the club - succeeded Thomas Frank during the summer at a time when the Bees also lost strike duo Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa to Manchester United and Newcastle respectively.

Speaking to presenter Roger Bennett from the Men in Blazers podcast at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference 2026,, external Benham discussed how he viewed losing key players, citing an increase in probability of relegation given both walked out the door.

On replacing Frank, he explained: "I'm a big believer in sort of the collective making decisions. Not in a group think way. So I don't like the idea of me saying 'oh I think we should go for Keith, does everyone else agree?' And they all say 'yes boss'.

"It's more myself, Phil Giles - who's a director of football, Lee Dykes, the technical director, and Ben Ryan, head of performance. The first thing we did, the four of us, we go away separately and think about, who could be interesting and then we come together to talk and and all four of us thought, you know, Keith seemed like a really, really strong candidate.

"He is clearly, as you have seen, an amazing communicator, fantastic leader. We knew that he was very good with with the players and also with the existing staff. We realised we were in a bit of a high-risk scenario anyway with all the sort turnover of staff and players.

"So we could have brought in a sort of big name from outside who comes with an entourage that would have had a lot of risk. It just seemed that Keith was like the clear logical candidate. Maybe we were in a bubble because then when it got announced and there was all this uproar we were like 'what have we done?'

"But from where we were sitting it just seemed that Keith was like a clear outstanding candidate."

Benham also spoke at length about buying into Brentford in 2005.

"For the first few years of being financially involved, really from 2005 until I took over fully, I didn't really see a serious long term prospect," he explained.

"It was more like a labour of love, the team I supported as a kid. This is a bit of fun, could I put enough money in to be a third or fourth division team?

"It was around the summer of 2013 that I thought it could be a bit more than a labour of love.

"Until then the conventional wisdom was unless you're a huge club with a huge following and stadium then you'll always be a lower league team. But it got to a stage where the TV deal in the Premier League was so big that it seemed you didn't need this traditional support to make a viable business.

"If we got to the Premier League we would have that TV money. But if we weren't the money was washing around and Premier League teams would buy the top players in the Championship. We could climb up via the transfer market."

Image source, Getty Images

Brentford are renowned for their excellent recruitment - discovering unpolished gems, turning them into stars and selling for huge profits.

Just the strikers they have had over the past few years - Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney, Bryan Mbeumo and others - bear witness to that.

However, owner Matthew Benham has revealed they missed out on a number of targets in recent seasons who have since gone on to be stars elsewhere.

Speaking to presenter Roger Bennett from the Men In Blazers podcast at MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference 2026, external last weekend, Benham was grilled on those that they pursued but did not end up signing:

• Eberechi Eze: "We could have had him for £4m in 2016."

• Omar Marmoush: "He was available on a free about three years ago."

• Mykhailo Mudryk: "We were very close to signing him for a low fee."

• Michael Olise: "His scouting was unbelievable but we had just been promoted and were not used to the crazy agent fees for the time. The fee was so insanely high for that one, we had to step away."

Although some got away, Brentford's five seasons in the Premier League are testament to their expert dealings in the transfer market.

Perhaps that is why Benham can calmly reflect: "There will always be ones you miss out on."

Image source, Getty Images

Brentford's majority owner Matthew Benham has discussed the club's focus on set-pieces and revealed the Bees paid players a bonus for scoring an eye-catching number of goals from kick-off this season.

Keith Andrews' side scored inside 40 seconds in three consecutive games earlier in the season and Benham told the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference 2026: "They are on a set-piece bonus which drives them quite a lot and and they did say the three goals are straight from kick-off. They are set pieces and we we had a bit of a debate about whether they qualify as set pieces.

"We did have to pay out the bonus."

Benham's data-driven approach to football has been widely discussed and in a revealing discussion as a guest speaker, the Oxford physics graduate was quizzed on gaining an edge from set-pieces.

He added: "I should say Keith Andrews last year was our set-piece coach. He wouldn't want to be identified as a set-piece coach. I mean you know he saw himself as an all-round coach. He made it clear that when he spent last season with us as a set-piece coach that wasn't his ultimate calling.

"Whenever we raised the idea of a playbook in football - have signals - we were always told that was way too complicated.

"And yet you get players that barely have a high school education and can still memorise a 100-page playbook in NFL. It seemed the main resistance to set-pieces was that players don't like it, don't like boring training.

"Traditionally in English football, players absolutely love someone like Kevin Keegan, the training is fun, five-a-sides, head tennis, no boring learning/repetition or slow walkthroughs.

"But if you're going to be good at set-pieces or a tactical matter, it is quite a lot of boring stuff, repetition, rote learning and slow walkthroughs. A lot weren't doing it because players didn't like it.

"And traditionally if players didn't like it and the manager tried to push it, the manager might lose the dressing room. That was why we tried to push."

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Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport Senior Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Having bowed out of the FA Cup in the third round, Bournemouth's fans would have been able to watch the weekend's fifth-round ties dispassionately.

While the Cherries' third-round conquerors Newcastle were dispatched by Manchester City – as Bournemouth themselves were in last season's quarter-finals – eyes may have been drawn to Monday's game between West Ham and Brentford, the teams who had knocked the Cherries out of the EFL Cup in the past two seasons.

And it was winger Dango Ouattara, who became Brentford's record signing when they paid Bournemouth £42m for him last summer, under the spotlight after seeing his 'Panenka' penalty saved as the Bees bowed out.

"What was he thinking?" was the common reaction. Well, Bournemouth's followers would have known it was not Dango's first rodeo. The Burkina Faso international scored with a Panenka in a penalty shootout after a Cherries pre-season friendly against Arsenal in California in July 2024.

Ouattara was also successful from 12 yards in last season's FA Cup fifth round as the Cherries overcame Wolves. This time, his technique involved not taking a run-up. Unorthodox, but two out of two scored in Bournemouth's colours.

And while overhauling any of the current top six may prove too tall an order for Andoni Iraola's side in their final nine league games, Brentford – in seventh place, four points above the Cherries – will firmly be in their sights.

Battles with Brentford are nothing new. Only Brighton (114) have faced the Cherries more times in league football than Brentford (110), and when cup games are taken into account, the Bees are now Bournemouth's most frequent opponents in competitive football, with 125 games overall – although older supporters on both sides are probably still pinching themselves that it is now a regular Premier League fixture, after years spent in the lower divisions.

What Brentford and Bournemouth will be aware of, however, is that every point is crucial when the final Premier League table is concerned – and not just because of the merit-based financial bonuses that come with each place.

With England still on course to earn a fifth Champions League place, while the two EFL Cup finalists and four of the eight remaining FA Cup contenders reside in the top six, the chance for clubs like Brentford or Bournemouth to win a ticket to Europe has never been greater.

Image source, Getty Images

Brentford owner Matthew Benham has been explaining how the Bees identify new players and the balance between data and scouting.

In their rise through the divisions to subsequent consolidation in the Premier League, Brentford have had extraordinary success with finding players, and Benham says that does not happen by acident.

"We have an open exchange of views," he told the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference 2026, external. "It is a mixture of the data models and good old-fashioned scouting.

"If you were to go through our players we have signed, some are more scouting based and others more maths based.

"For instance, models are not great for young players as we simply do not have the data. It is not like in American sport where they have high school and college data.

"Bryan Mbeumo was 19 years old when we spotted him and playing in the French second division. The model was 'meh' on him but the fact our scouts, and especially the technical director Lee Dykes, were so positive outweighed the data.

"If you have a player in their mid-20s who has played a couple of hundred games, the model better like him or we are not going to sign him."

Ian Westbrook
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

I'm gutted, genuinely gutted about Brentford's FA Cup exit - and the manner of it - on Monday night.

It's not just Dango Outtara's penalty - going second in a fifth round shootout really isn't the time to take a Panenka - but also the numerous errors we made during the 120 minutes and the goals we gave West Ham.

Make no mistake about it, the Hammers were a far better team than the one we beat comfortably at London Stadium in October.

But we gave them a helping hand with misplaced passes as well as setting up the chances for them to score twice.

After a poor spell we did improve, mainly after Mathias Jensen came on, and a 2-2 draw felt like the right score after extra time.

But having only ever got to the FA Cup quarter-finals once in my many years of watching Brentford, this feels like a wasted opportunity to get there again.

And, with all due respect to Leeds, having avoided any of the big four in the quarter-final draw and finally being pulled out at home, there was also the chance maybe to have gone further.

You can't blame Keith Andrews. He has taken the cups seriously all season and did again here - naming a first-team line-up.

He was unlucky that with injuries now starting to really affect us, he didn't have many ways of changing the game or taking off tired players, because nearly half the bench was filled with members of the B team and youngsters.

Crystal Palace set the benchmark for medium and smaller clubs last season - showing it is possible for one of us to win a major trophy.

I really wanted us to emulate them this season by winning the FA Cup, more than I wanted to finish in the top seven.

After Monday, I will have to concentrate on that instead.

Find more from Ian Westbrook at Beesotted podcast, external

We asked for your thoughts after Monday FA Cup game between West Ham and Brentford.

Here are some of your comments:

West Ham fans

Mike: Nuno made seven changes but the lads who came in really shone! Looking a completely different group of players this late in the season! Immaculate penalties!

Joe: Penalties could have been avoided if we buried chances but glad we got it over the line. Kante looked good and was happy to see Pablo back in the line-up. Keep up this form and we should have no problem climbing up the league and keeping this cup run alive.

Steve: I was not confident with the Hammers line-up, especially with Summerville on the bench. However, the first 11 were so much better than I anticipated. Interestingly, the players who they brought on did not perform like they can. I was impressed with Mavropanos. Jarrod always does well. What a penalty shootout. A great team effort. Well done Nuno too.

Jon: Phew! What a great cup tie. Well done West Ham great win. Look out Leeds we are coming for you.

Brentford fans

Brahams: If this was a league game I would be happy with the draw, solid defending and Kelleher was on top form. But it felt a bit flat in the middle, Lewis-Potter and Donovan kept the attacking spark. With Thiago doing what he does best, but there's only so much he can do. Became too reliant on long balls and throw-ins, nothing like the quick and silky play we can produce. Won't mention the penalty, but a wasted chance to really progress in the game cup. Europe here we come!

Isaac: Great game, end to end, both teams was huffing and puffing for the winner, wish we didn't leave the cup that way but oh well. A lot to play for in the league so it's not the worst thing. Igor Thiago scoring goals never gets old.

Paul: Disgraceful penalty, why would you do that in such an important game, was never going to win the cup but had a good chance of a semi-final at Wembley....

Neil Johnston
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Brentford have never advanced further than the quarter-finals in the FA Cup - and their run in this season's competition has ended at the fifth-round stage following Monday's penalty shootout defeat at West Ham.

Thanks to a highly impressive first season in charge by Keith Andrews, the Bees are daring to dream about playing in Europe.

It has been a campaign of highs in the Premier League, yet there will be disappointment among their 5,500 away following at London Stadium that they were unable to overcome a West Ham side that has struggled all season.

Andrews' starting line-up - and the involvement of Igor Thiago and Kevin Schade - suggested he saw this as a great opportunity to go deep in the FA Cup.

Brentford showed great character to twice come from behind to force extra time, while they will feel aggrieved they were not awarded a penalty after Mateus Fernandes' foul on Schade towards the end of the first half.

But former Bournemouth winger Dango Ouattara will be haunted by his miss in the shootout.

With West Ham leading 2-1 on penalties, he took an age before stepping up to take his kick - and hit a tame effort straight at Alphonse Areola much to the delight of the home fans.

Brentford manager Keith Andrews, speaking to BBC Sport: "It was a proper cup tie. They took the lead and in the first half we didn't hit the heights we could and should've done but in the second half we got back into the game.

"Extra time, we huffed and puffed and when you get to penalty kicks, it is not a toss of a coin but you need luck. They took theirs very well and unfortunately we missed one.

"With a goalkeeper like Caoimhin [Kelleher], you feel he will save one and their penalties have to be good and they were."

On Dango Ouattara's missed Panenka: "When you miss a penalty it is a tough moment, but it is easier to not take a penalty than take a penalty. We've had it in the past when people have been persecuted and ridiculed for missing a penalty on the biggest stage and that's ridiculous.

"He practices that technique a lot and will have the utmost support from me and everyone around.

"We really wanted to get through to the quarter-final but it was not to be. But we have nine games left where we can push on and do something special."

Did you know?

• Tonight was Brentford's 32nd penalty shootout, with only Walsall and Chelsea (34 each) taking part in more while playing within the top four tiers of English football. This was their first shootout defeat since November 2022 against Gillingham in the League Cup, having won their most recent three.