Brentford finally ended their torrid Premier League run of seven defeats and one draw when they secured a 3-1 victory against fellow strugglers Norwich, with Ivan Toney the man of the hour at Carrow Road.
The 25-year-old netted the first top-flight hat-trick of his career, which included two second-half penalties, to put the visitors three goals to the good, and although
Teemu Pukki pulled one back in stoppage time, the Bees managed to put a sting in the tail of the Canaries and claim three precious points for just the third time since the beginning of December.
Since the start of the 2018-19 campaign, Toney has netted 93 goals in all competitions – in games for Peterborough United and Brentford – with only Mohamed Salah and Harry
Kane scoring more for sides in England’s top four divisions during that period. In addition, Toney has also scored five hat-tricks in that time, more than any other player across all domestic competitions.
With all five teams below Brentford in the table losing last weekend, Thomas Frank saw his side move six points clear of the relegation zone; however, all five have at least one game in hand, including Saturday’s opponents Burnley who, as mentioned earlier, have two in hand.
With challenging fixtures against Chelsea, West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United to come later this season, the Bees will be desperate to secure maximum points on Saturday from one of their more favourable fixtures on paper.
However, Brentford cannot take the Clarets lightly as they have lost each of their last five meetings against them, conceding three goals on four of these occasions.
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Last weekend’s heavy 4-0 loss at home to the current European and world champions was Burnley’s heaviest defeat of the season and that result leaves them still in the relegation zone, just one point behind 17th-placed Everton having played a game more.
Burnley are unbeaten in their last six league meetings with the Bees, winning each of the last four in a row, so they will be full of confidence heading to the capital this weekend.
Victory for the Clarets would see them do the double over Brentford for just the second time in their history – their first coming in the 2015-16 Championship season – as well as extend their unbeaten Premier League away run against London-based opposition to five matches.
