Brentford made a strong start to their 2024/25 Premier League campaign with a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace in a tightly contested London derby at the Gtech Community Stadium. Despite the absence of star striker Ivan Toney, Brentford’s fluid attack, led by Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, secured the win.
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Toney’s Absence and Brentford’s Bright Start
The pre-match headlines were dominated by the exclusion of Ivan Toney from the matchday squad, with Brentford manager Thomas Frank confirming transfer interest in the striker as the reason behind the decision. Despite concerns, Brentford’s front three of Mbeumo, Wissa, and Kevin Schade stepped up, making Toney’s absence less noticeable.
Brentford took the lead in the 29th minute when Bryan Mbeumo cut inside from the right and curled a left-footed shot into the bottom corner, capping off a well-executed move. This goal came shortly after a controversial moment where Eberechi Eze’s free-kick goal for Palace was disallowed due to a foul in the build-up.
Palace’s Resurgence and Pinnock’s Misfortune
Crystal Palace responded strongly after the break. Their pressure paid off in the 56th minute when Ethan Pinnock inadvertently turned Daniel Muñoz’s header into his own net, leveling the score. Palace nearly took the lead shortly after, but Odsonne Edouard’s effort was ruled out for offside.
Wissa’s Winner and Late Drama
As the match entered its final stages, Brentford capitalized on a chaotic sequence in the Palace box. In the 76th minute, Wissa was on hand to tap in after Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson could only parry a deflected effort from Nathan Collins.
Crystal Palace pushed hard for an equalizer, with Eze coming close on multiple occasions, but Brentford’s defense, marshaled by goalkeeper Mark Flekken, held firm to secure all three points.
Match Summary:
- Venue: Gtech Community Stadium, Brentford
- Attendance: 16,988
- Referee: Samuel Barrott
- Final Score: Brentford 2-1 Crystal Palace
- Half Time: 1-0
Goals:
- Brentford:
- Bryan Mbeumo (29′)
- Yoane Wissa (76′)
- Crystal Palace:
- Ethan Pinnock (OG, 57′)
Lineups:
Brentford (4-3-3):
- Goalkeeper: Mark Flekken
- Defenders: Mads Roerslev, Nathan Collins, Ethan Pinnock, Kristoffer Ajer
- Midfielders: Christian Nørgaard (C), Mathias Jensen, Vitaly Janelt (Mikkel Damsgaard 74′)
- Forwards: Bryan Mbeumo (Ben Mee 90′), Kevin Schade (Lewis-Potter 73′), Yoane Wissa (Frank Onyeka 83′)
Crystal Palace (3-4-2-1):
- Goalkeeper: Dean Henderson
- Defenders: Joachim Andersen, Marc Guéhi (C), Chris Richards (Sarr 84′)
- Midfielders: Daniel Muñoz, Adam Wharton (Jefferson Lerma 74′), Will Hughes (Cheick Doucouré 84′), Tyrick Mitchell
- Forwards: Daichi Kamada (Jordan Ayew 70′), Eberechi Eze, Jean-Philippe Mateta (Odsonne Edouard HT)
Match Statistics:
- Possession: Brentford 48% – 52% Crystal Palace
- Shots: Brentford 12 – 15 Crystal Palace
- Shots on Target: Brentford 6 – 7 Crystal Palace
- Corners: Brentford 5 – 4 Crystal Palace
- Fouls: Brentford 10 – 12 Crystal Palace
- Yellow Cards: Yoane Wissa (20′), Marc Guéhi (45+1′)
Man of the Match: Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace)
Despite the defeat, Eze was a constant threat, orchestrating Crystal Palace’s attack and nearly finding the equalizer late on.
Post-Match Reactions
After the match, Brentford manager Thomas Frank praised his team’s resilience: “It was a fairly even game but we managed to edge it, which is a big quality.”
Crystal Palace’s manager, Oliver Glasner, reflected on the game: “We started well but couldn’t capitalize on our chances. The disallowed goal was frustrating, but we need to regroup and focus on our next matches.”
Premier League Points Table 2024 – 2025
Check the below mentioned table for Premier League points table 2024 – 2025
| English Premier League 2024-2025 | GP | W | D | L | F | A | GD | P |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Arsenal | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Liverpool | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Manchester City | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Aston Villa | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Brentford | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Manchester United | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Newcastle United | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| AFC Bournemouth | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Nottingham Forest | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Leicester City | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Crystal Palace | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
| West Ham United | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
| Fulham | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| Southampton | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| Chelsea | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
| Ipswich Town | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
| Everton | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 0 |
Looking Ahead
Brentford’s victory places them fifth in the early Premier League standings. They will travel to Anfield next week to face Liverpool, looking to build on this positive start. Meanwhile, Crystal Palace will seek to bounce back when they host West Ham United at Selhurst Park.
