Brentford returned to winning ways in the Premier League with a dominant 3-1 victory over Luton Town at Brentford Community Stadium.
How the match unfolded
Brentford manager Thomas Frank was forced into a change just before kick-off after Kristoffer Ajer picked up an injury in the warm-up, with Saman Ghoddos replacing him in the starting X1.
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Brentford dominated the early possession but had to wait until the 27th minute for their first clear sight at goal. Yegor Yarmolyuk’s shot from a short-corner routine was deflected narrowly wide of the left post.
Bryan Mbeumo tried his luck with a long-range effort in the 37th minute, but his curling shot could not find the far corner.
The home side appealed for a penalty late in the first half after Issa Kabore appeared to handle in the area, but nothing was given following a VAR check.
Luton were given a blow at half-time as Tom Lockyer was unable to continue following a back injury.
The Bees broke the deadlock five minutes into the second half as Neal Maupay scored from a loose ball from close range. Ben Mee’s initial effort from Yoane Wissa’s cross was blocked, but Maupay was quickest to react in the box and he finished well.
The home side did not look back and doubled their lead in the 56th minute as Mee’s goalbound header from Mbeumo’s corner was deflected in by Carlton Morris.
Things got worse for Luton when Teden Mengi hobbled off the pitch after he injured a knee when tackling Wissa.
Jacob Brown, Luton’s matchwinner at home to Crystal Palace last week, replaced Lockyer at half-time and pulled a goal back with a clinical finish in the 77th minute. He beat Vitaly Janelt to Ross Barkley’s through-ball and dribbled around Mee before scoring from the edge of the box.
Any hope of a Luton comeback did not last long as Shandon Baptiste scored his first goal in two years just six minutes later. Keane Lewis-Potter had two shots denied but Baptiste was on hand to fire in the rebound and make it 3-1.
Tahith Chong did put the ball in the net in the final minute of regular time, but the Luton midfielder was offside when substitute Andros Townsend sent in the cross.
Brentford move up to 10th on 19 points. Luton remain in 17th on nine points.
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Key stats
- Brentford had 27 attempts against Luton, their highest tally in a Premier League game, with their 19 shots from inside the box also their most in a single game in the competition.
- Luton have failed to win their last 18 top-flight away games in London (D3 L15), since a 2-1 victory against Wimbledon in February 1990, losing their last four in a row.
- Brentford have won seven of their last nine league games against Luton (L2), conceding against the Hatters in a league victory for the first time since October 2003 (4-2).
- Despite coming on in the 78th minute, Brentford’s Keane Lewis-Potter had the most shots in the match (5) – the last substitute to play fewer than 30 minutes and have more than five attempts in a Premier League game was Aleksandar Mitrovic for Newcastle against Norwich in April 2016 (6).
