Igor Thiago's record-breaking season reached another landmark as Brentford eased to a 3-0 Premier League victory over Sunderland in west London. The Brazilian struck in each half to become the highest-scoring Brazilian in a single Premier League campaign, moving to 16 goals and overtaking Roberto Firmino, Gabriel Martinelli and Matheus Cunha, before Yehor Yarmolyuk sealed a commanding win that strengthened Keith Andrews's side's European ambitions.
Yet for all Thiago's ruthlessness, the evening may be remembered most for Enzo Le Fée's ill-fated attempt to chip a penalty over Caoimhín Kelleher with Sunderland trailing 1-0 early in the second half. Kelleher simply stood his ground and made an easy catch, and within minutes Brentford had punished the miss, Kevin Schade first rattling the crossbar from close range before turning provider for Thiago's second, with Yarmolyuk later adding a third from a corner to leave the visitors' four-game unbeaten run in tatters.
Record-Breaking Brazilian Leads the Charge
This has been heralded as the season of the big striker, and on this evidence Thiago is leading the new wave of No 9s. Fresh from a hat-trick against Everton last time out, he again shouldered the goalscoring burden, first latching on to Vitaly Janelt's perfectly weighted pass to round Robin Roefs and open the scoring, then rising to head in Schade's cross for Brentford's second.