Toney scores as Brentford sink bottom club Saints

3 years ago 46
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Ivan Toney celebrates his goal for Brentford against SouthamptonIvan Toney has scored 17 goals in 26 appearances across all competitions for Brentford this season

Ivan Toney scored one and assisted another as Brentford boosted their European hopes and heaped further misery on bottom club Southampton with a win at St Mary's.

Toney tapped in Christian Norgaard's flick-on after a Bryan Mbeumo corner in the 32nd minute.

And in second-half injury-time his header sent through Yoane Wissa who calmly doubled the visitors' lead.

Victory saw the Bees move up to eighth in the Premier League table.

Southampton stay 20th, two points off safety having played one game more than most of their relegation rivals.

Saints' best opportunity for an equaliser came shortly after the restart with Brentford defender Aaron Hickey blocking a Che Adams effort when keeper David Raya was beaten.

Toney impresses on eve of England squad announcement

Toney produced a match-winning performance less than 24 hours before England manager Gareth Southgate will announce his squad for two European Championship qualifiers this month.

Uncapped Toney, 26, is the second-highest English goalscorer in the Premier League this season, having scored four fewer than Tottenham's Harry Kane and two more than Manchester United's Marcus Rashford.

His opener was a true striker's finish, meeting a header at the back post to poke the ball into an empty net.

It was just what Brentford deserved, rounding off a first half where Kevin Schade had gone close with a looping header.

The Bees sat back after the restart, adding another in the closing stages to complete a league double over Southampton for the first time since the 1958-59 season.

Victory saw them move to within one point of the top six, leapfrogging west London rivals Fulham up to eighth.

Drab Saints stay rock bottom

Such is the tightness of this season's Premier League relegation battle, victory would have ensured Southampton ended the day outside of the relegation zone for the first time since 5 November.

Instead they looked flat in the first half, unable to follow up their goalless draw with Manchester United on Sunday with another positive result.

Adams' effort following a Kyle Walker-Peters cutback was one of very few clear-cut chances for Ruben Selles' side.

Southampton's loss was their 17th in the league this season, having only tasted defeat 16 times last campaign.

They host Tottenham in their next match on Saturday (15:00 GMT), while Brentford are at home to Leicester City at the same time.

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Southampton

  1. Squad number31Player nameBazunu

  2. Squad number2Player nameWalker-Peters

  3. Squad number35Player nameBednarek

  4. Squad number37Player nameBella-Kotchap

  5. Squad number15Player namePerraud

  6. Squad number8Player nameWard-Prowse

  7. Squad number27Player nameDiallo

  8. Squad number24Player nameElyounoussi

  9. Squad number26Player nameAlcaraz

  10. Squad number20Player nameSulemana

  11. Squad number10Player nameAdams

  1. Squad number12Player nameOnuachu

  2. Squad number14Player nameBree

  3. Squad number32Player nameWalcott

  4. Squad number45Player nameLavia

Brentford

  1. Squad number1Player nameRaya

  2. Squad number2Player nameHickey

  3. Squad number5Player namePinnock

  4. Squad number16Player nameMee

  5. Squad number3Player nameHenry

  6. Squad number8Player nameJensen

  7. Squad number6Player nameNørgaard

  8. Squad number27Player nameJanelt

  9. Squad number19Player nameMbeumo

  10. Squad number17Player nameToney

  11. Squad number9Player nameSchade

  1. Squad number11Player nameWissa

  2. Squad number15Player nameOnyeka

  3. Squad number18Player nameJansson

  4. Squad number24Player nameDamsgaard

Line-ups

Southampton

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 31Bazunu
  • 2Walker-PetersSubstituted forBreeat 59'minutes
  • 35BednarekBooked at 90mins
  • 37Bella-Kotchap
  • 15Perraud
  • 8Ward-Prowse
  • 27DialloSubstituted forLaviaat 58'minutes
  • 24ElyounoussiSubstituted forWalcottat 58'minutes
  • 26AlcarazSubstituted forOnuachuat 66'minutes
  • 20Sulemana
  • 10Adams

Substitutes

  • 9A Armstrong
  • 12Onuachu
  • 13Caballero
  • 14Bree
  • 17S Armstrong
  • 18Mara
  • 22Salisu
  • 32Walcott
  • 45Lavia

Brentford

Formation 4-3-3

  • 1Raya
  • 2HickeyBooked at 79mins
  • 5Pinnock
  • 16Mee
  • 3Henry
  • 8JensenSubstituted forDamsgaardat 79'minutes
  • 6Nørgaard
  • 27JaneltSubstituted forOnyekaat 45+1'minutes
  • 19MbeumoSubstituted forJanssonat 78'minutes
  • 17ToneyBooked at 90mins
  • 9SchadeSubstituted forWissaat 65'minutes

Substitutes

  • 10Dasilva
  • 11Wissa
  • 13M Jorgensen
  • 14Ghoddos
  • 15Onyeka
  • 18Jansson
  • 24Damsgaard
  • 26Baptiste
  • 34Cox

Referee:Michael Salisbury

Live Text

  1. Match ends, Southampton 0, Brentford 2.

  2. Second Half ends, Southampton 0, Brentford 2.

  3. Goal! Southampton 0, Brentford 2. Yoane Wissa (Brentford) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Ivan Toney with a headed pass.

  4. Foul by Che Adams (Southampton).

  5. Yoane Wissa (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  6. Offside, Southampton. Kamaldeen Sulemana tries a through ball, but Che Adams is caught offside.

  7. Attempt missed. Kamaldeen Sulemana (Southampton) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Che Adams.

  8. Jan Bednarek (Southampton) is shown the yellow card.

  9. Ivan Toney (Brentford) is shown the yellow card.

  10. Delay over. They are ready to continue.

  11. Attempt saved. Mikkel Damsgaard (Brentford) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.

  12. Christian Nørgaard (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  13. Foul by Roméo Lavia (Southampton).

  14. Christian Nørgaard (Brentford) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  15. Delay over. They are ready to continue.

  16. Delay in match because of an injury Pontus Jansson (Brentford).

  17. Attempt blocked. Romain Perraud (Southampton) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Kamaldeen Sulemana.

  18. Corner, Southampton. Conceded by Ben Mee.

  19. Foul by James Ward-Prowse (Southampton).

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