Brentford narrowly beat Crystal Palace 2-1 at Selhurst Park on Sunday afternoon, winning for the second time away from home in the Premier League this season.
The first half was a dull affair, with neither side producing much in the final third, but Maxence Lacroix tripped Nathan Collins around an hour into the game, though Bryan Mbeumo stuck the post from the resulting penalty.
However, the Brentford forward got the chance to atone for his miss after VAR penalised Marc Guehi for encroachment, and he buried his second attempt before Kevin Schade doubled the visitors' lead with 10 minutes to go.
Debutant Romain Esse managed to halve the deficit minutes later with his first ever touch of the ball as a Premier League player, but the hosts could not find a way back into the game.
The result means that Brentford are 11th with 31 points and move four points above Palace, who are 10th but could fall to 14th place should West Ham United and Manchester United both win later on Sunday.
SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
© Imago
Thomas Frank's Brentford have been enjoyable to watch this campaign given they have scored 42 times in the top flight this term - the sixth most in the league - but they have been poor away from home.
The Bees have now won two consecutive away fixtures in the Premier League, but they will need to show much more consistency if they have any ambition of challenging for a top-half spot.
As for Palace, they are 11 points clear of 18th-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers and should be confident of staying in the division, and their defeat on Sunday should not cloud the good work that Oliver Glasner has done while in charge.
The debut of Esse should be seen as a positive, and the future with the youngster in attack alongside the likes of Eze looks bright.
CRYSTAL PALACE VS. BRENTFORD HIGHLIGHTS
57th min: Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace) hits post
© Imago
Eberechi Eze takes a free-kick from the left and his strike bounces off Sepp Van den Berg towards the right corner, and Mark Flekken can only watch as the ball hits the base of the post.
The closest to a goal yet!
63rd min: Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford) missed penalty
© Imago
Collins is fouled by Lacroix and the referee points to the spot, but Mbeumo's stuttered run up sees him strike the left and hit the post, before Crystal Palace get the ball clear.
A let off for Palace!
Bryan Mbeumo goal vs. Crystal Palace (66th min, Crystal Palace 0-1 Brentford)
Bryan Mbeumo misses the first penalty but gets to retake as Palace players entered the box too early!
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 26, 2025
No mistakes the second time from Mbeumo! 😤 pic.twitter.com/itU2vVXrXT
Guehi is adjudged by VAR to have encroached the penalty area during Mbeumo's penalty, and the Brentford forward has the chance to retake his spot kick, with the Bees attacker burying his second attempt in the right side of the net.
Mbeumo redeems himself!
Kevin Schade goal vs. Crystal Palace (80th min, Crystal Palace 0-2 Brentford)
Kevin Schade heads home to double Brentford's lead! 🐝 pic.twitter.com/ZbzkWGQ5uc
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 26, 2025
Mikkel Damsgaard finds space on the right flank in Crystal Palace's half, and he managed to find Schade, who heads home from near the penalty spot but clashes heads with Chris Richards and needs treatment.
A fantastic header to make it 2-0!
Romain Esse goal vs. Brentford (85th min, Crystal Palace 1-2 Brentford)
What a MOMENT for Romain Esse on his Crystal Palace debut! ✨ pic.twitter.com/otBfyl18r5
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 26, 2025
Eze drifts infield from the left facing Brentford's goal and chips a ball to the back post to Daniel Munoz, who squares across goal and defender Collins bizarrely leaves the ball for debutant Esse to tap home.
Palace are back in this!
MAN OF THE MATCH - NATHAN COLLINS
© Imago
Despite making a mistake for Crystal Palace's goal late on, Collins still should be credited for helping win the penalty that led to Brentford's opening goal.
The centre-back completed 37 of his 42 passes - the most of any player on either team - and also won six of his eight duels, dominating most attacks that came his way.
CRYSTAL PALACE VS. BRENTFORD MATCH STATS
Possession: Crystal Palace 47%-53% Brentford
Shots: Crystal Palace 16-13 Brentford
Shots on target: Crystal Palace 5-6 Brentford
Corners: Crystal Palace 4-7 Brentford
Fouls: Crystal Palace 8-11 Brentford
BEST STATS
8 - Mikkel Damsgaard now holds the record for most assists in a Premier League season for Brentford (8), while Christian Eriksen is the only Danish player to have made more in a single campaign in the competition. Footsteps. pic.twitter.com/79iJI2jCYu
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 26, 2025
Brentford are now one of only three teams to both score and concede 40+ goals in as few as 23 games in a season. #CRYBRE #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/xnT2ow1S8S
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) January 26, 2025
Most goals for Brentford in the Prem:
— StatMuse FC (@statmusefc) January 26, 2025
36 — Bryan Mbeumo
36 — Yoane Wissa
36 — Ivan Toney pic.twitter.com/Js05OXzUCd
WHAT NEXT?
Crystal Palace are set to travel to Old Trafford to play Manchester United on February 2 in the Premier League, before facing Doncaster Rovers in the FA Cup on February 10.
Meanwhile, Brentford will host Tottenham Hotspur next Sunday in the league, and then take on West Ham United on February 15.
Lewis Nolan
