Brentford

Brentford boss Thomas Frank has been speaking to BBC Sport following the game: "It is always irritating or frustrating to lose a match. That is the most difficult thing in this business.

"It was a very even match between two teams who neutralised each other. There wasn't much in it. We had the biggest chance through Ivan [Toney].

"It is very irritating that they scored from a second phase. An even game, should have been 0-0 in my opinion, a little bit boring.

"Right now, I'm just irritated we lost a match. It has been a tough season.

"It has always been our aim to finish as high as possible and be an asset to the Premier League. It is important we finish well and keep the momentum.

"As a team, we played average, not many players stood out. Our front three weren't at their best. It was a starting point for Ivan and he will be better next time."

Brentford defender Nathan Collins has been speaking to Sky Sports following the defeat: "It was a fairly even game I think. There weren't a lot of chances for either side. It was always going to be a tough game."

On Jordan Pickford's save from Ivan Toney's shot: "It was a great save. You need to take chances like that if you want to come to places like this and get a result.

"It has been a tough season, with a lot of setbacks, but it is great to be staying up."

Here are the key facts and figures following Saturday’s game between Everton and Brentford in the Premier League.

• After failing to win any of their first three Premier League meetings with Brentford (D1 L2), Everton have won each of the last three encounters. The Bees have only had a longer losing run against Newcastle United in the competition (an ongoing run of four games).

• Everton have won each of their past four home Premier League games without conceding. It is their longest such run in a single season since their final four games of the 2018-19 campaign under Marco Silva.

• Brentford have now lost 18 Premier League games this season, which is their joint-most in one Premier League campaign along with 2021-22. They last lost more games in a top-flight campaign in 1946-47 (26).

• The Toffees have scored 18 goals from set pieces in the Premier League this season (excluding penalties), with only Arsenal netting more (20).

• Idrissa Gueye has scored three Premier League goals for Everton this season, as many as in his first five campaigns in the competition combined. He has now netted two goals in his past three games in the competition, as many as in his previous 98 appearances.

In-form Everton guaranteed their Premier League survival with three games to spare by edging to victory over lacklustre Brentford.

Sean Dyche's side benefited from Luton losing at Wolves earlier on Saturday, and this result at Goodison Park allowed Everton to leapfrog Brentford into 15th place - 11 points clear of the relegation zone.

Idrissa Gueye was the surprise match-winner, smashing home a first-time finish into the top corner on the hour mark, after reacting quickest to Brentford's defenders failing to clear the ball.

A first half severely lacking in quality was summed up by neither side being able to find a shot on target. Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure should have done better with a volley which he screwed wide from 10 yards out.

The contest improved in the second period and Everton's England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made an excellent stop to deny the returning Ivan Toney.

At the other end, Everton were inches away from breaking the deadlock when Dwight McNeil's thunderous drive from long range rattled the crossbar, before Gueye's goal ensured the Blues maintained their proud top-flight status.

Were you at the match or did you follow it from elsewhere?

Everton fans - let us know your thoughts on the game here

How did you rate the side's performance, Brentford fans?

Follow all of the reaction here

Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches again this season, against a variety of guests.

For this weekend's games, he takes on Andy Bell and Steve Queralt from Ride, who support Arsenal and Tottenham.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

I always felt Everton's season depended a lot on Dominic Calvert-Lewin but it felt like he was in the wilderness for months before he put in such a brilliant performance against Liverpool on Wednesday.

He was such a handful all game and showed what a good a player he is. I was left thinking where have you been for so long?

You have to wonder how much Everton have got left in the tank after their efforts to win the Merseyside derby but a lot of the pressure is off them now.

It is the same for Brentford after their run of results - both of these teams are almost safe because Luton would need a miracle to catch them.

I am not sure what is going on with Bees striker Ivan Toney, because he was on the bench for a couple of games before missing the win over Luton with a hip injury, but they don't seem to need him at the moment.

This is a hard one to call because a win would effectively cement survival for whoever gets it, but a draw is also a decent result for both teams - and that might mean this is quite a cagey affair.

Andy's prediction: 2-3

They have both been winning games and again they are next to each other in the table so I am going for a barnstorming Brentford win.

Steve's prediction: 0-2

I have a bit of a soft spot for Brentford because I live quite close to their ground. So, I'm backing them, just based on that really.

Read the rest of their predictions here

Seven matches make up Saturday's Premier League action and we will bring you every moment.

Follow live text updates and listen online here

BBC Radio 5 Live commentaries:

Manchester United v Burnley - Listen on BBC Sounds from 15:00

Everton v Brentford - Listen on BBC Sounds from 17:30

Here is a selection of the key facts and figures before Everton host Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday, 17:30 BST.

• Everton are looking to complete only their second league double over Brentford, previously doing so in the 1952-53 second division.

• None of the 10 league meetings between Everton and Brentford at Goodison Park have ended in a draw, with the Toffees winning seven of these to the Bees' three.

• Brentford have won their past two Premier League games, as many as they had in their previous 18 combined. They last won three in a row in October and November.

• Bryan Mbeumo has been involved in nine goals in his past 10 Premier League starts (four goals, five assists), while Brentford have won 39% of their league games when the Cameroon international has started this season, compared to 12.5% when he has not.

• Brentford's Yoane Wissa has scored five goals in his past five Premier League away games, as many as he had in his previous 29 appearances on the road in the competition.

Brentford boss Thomas Frank has been speaking to the media before Saturday's trip to Everton in the Premier League.

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Frank said he "hopes" Ivan Toney will be available for Saturday after recovering from a hamstring injury but he is "not counting on" defender Aaron Hickey returning this season from his respective hamstring issue. He added that the Bees have no fresh injury concerns.

• On his side's campaign so far: "It's been a tough season - every [season]is in the Premier League, no matter where you are in the table. But this season in particular because of injuries and other things that have been happening."

• He conceded that losing Bryan Mbeumo to a long-term injury hindered his plans: "The big thing is we knew that we'd miss Ivan (Toney) for a big part of the season, and of course it was a loss, but I was confident when we went into the season and didn't buy another striker."

• More on the impact of playing without Toney and Mbuemo: "We got Neal [Maupay] in on loan to help the squad, but I thought the other players were good enough. But if you also take out the next player in line, which is Bryan, then it becomes a bit tricky."

• When asked whether Saturday's 5-1 win over Luton was a glimpse of life after Ivan Toney Frank said: "Potentially, let's see what happens with Ivan - but it's important to see the quality we have in the squad. It was promising."

• On the big win over the Hatters: "I think it was a statement win - we've had a few over the last few years. Not only in the fact we won but the way we performed throughout the game. Everything Luton threw at us we controlled and we were such a threat going forward."

Follow the rest of Thursday's Premier League news conferences

Live commentary of Everton v Brentford from 17:30 BST on Saturday on BBC Radio 5 Live

Manchester United are interested in Brentford and England striker Ivan Toney. The club believe the 28-year-old would bring experience and leadership to their dressing room. (90min), external

However, Tottenham could also make a £45m move for Toney, if there is a lack of competition for his signature. (GiveMeSport), external

Want more transfer news? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Brentford striker Neal Maupay has offered a tongue-in-cheek take on Antony's celebrations against Coventry City.

Maupay, who infamously mocked Tottenham midfielder James Maddison's goal celebration earlier this year, posted "not even I would do this" to BBC Match of the Day on X.

At the conclusion of Sunday's FA Cup semi-final shootout after a 3-3 draw following extra time, Antony was spotted cupping his ears in victory at the deflated Sky Blues players, despite coming on as a substitute when Manchester United were winning 3-0.

His behaviour was a stark contrast to that of captain Harry Maguire, who immediately went to shake the opposing players' hands.

Ex-Coventry forward Clinton Morrison also criticised Antony on BBC Radio 5 Live, saying: "He needs to concentrate on himself because he could be playing in the Championship next season."

And breathe…

Saturday was a great day to be a Brentford fan as we secured another season in the Premier League – barring a massive set of improbable results.

We have said all along that we were so low in the table because of our horrendous set of injuries, and the performance at Luton – easily our best of the season – proved just that.

With Bryan Mbeumo outstanding in the front three and Ethan Pinnock imperious at the back, and even in front of goal too, it showed just what we can do with a much stronger side.

I have said in this column in recent weeks that I thought 35 points would be enough to guarantee safety and we reached that mark by winning at Kenilworth Road.

It was clear the players and staff now think we are safe and the post-match scenes were reminiscent of those at Watford at a similar stage of our first Premier League season, when again an away victory secured our survival.

On Saturday, the players spent a long time celebrating with the fans at full-time, and the sight of owner Matthew Benham greeting them, Thomas Frank and his coaches as they left the field just confirmed the feeling of job done.

We are now unbeaten in five matches since the international break and it would be good to keep that momentum going for the final four games.

Saturday's win was achieved without the injured Ivan Toney. He has been great for the club – helping us win promotion and stay in the Premier League – and if this is to be his last season, I hope he features again at some point and produces a goalscoring farewell.

Ian Westbrook can be found on Beesotted podcast, external

Ruben Amorim remains Liverpool's number one target to replace Jurgen Klopp but Brentford manager Thomas Frank is being considered if the Portuguese goes elsewhere. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer news? Read Tuesday's gossip column

Image source, Getty Images

Monday, 22 April marks Earth Day - a day in the international calendar that provides the opportunity to reflect, make change and understand more about sustainability and the impacts of climate change.

Sport and football are not immune to these issues and there has been increasing awareness of their relationship to the environment over the past few years.

Football has a global footprint and, as it continues to grow, it has been subject to questions and criticism over some of the decisions that could hinder efforts in reducing its impact, including expanding Uefa cup competitions and the men's Fifa World Cup.

The effects of adverse weather related to climate change has been increasingly felt, with a study last year showing extreme weather has affected 40% of football players and spectators.

But, football and its fanbase also have an opportunity to be part of the solution, with clubs like Forest Green Rovers showing how the sport's environmental footprint can be reduced.

We have taken a look into some of the key things Brentford are doing to become more sustainable:

• The Gtech Community Stadium has solar panels on roof that generate over 70,000 kWh per year.

• Single-use plastics have been removed from the matchday experience for fans with sustainable alternatives available.

• The club release new kits bi-annually instead of every season.

• Defender Ben Mee has openly discussed the issues of climate change and what he is doing to be more sustainable.

• They have increased ecology value around the new stadium and planted trees, grasslands and kept existing scrub, hedgerows, and trees at the training ground.

One important area all Premier League clubs can address to reduce their carbon footprint is their travel, as shown in BBC Sport research.

Why is this important?

Football For Future is a non-profit organisation working with stakeholders across football to create a more environmentally sustainable culture and founder Elliot Arthur-Worsop told BBC Sport: "Climate change will be the defining challenge of our generation, and the future of football will be affected too.

"We're already seeing the impacts, with more than 120,000 English grassroots games being called off annually, and major tournaments such as the World Cup and Afcon being moved because of extreme weather.

"Beyond the pitch, the climate crisis threatens livelihoods and global food and water security.

"With its unparalleled social influence, football has an opportunity to inspire global climate action, from micro-behaviours to essential policy change."

What would you like to see your club do more (or less) of to be greener?

We asked for your thoughts on Luton Town's defeat by Brentford on Saturday.

Here are some of your answers:

Luton fans

Mark: I've been following Luton Town for 40 years now and I genuinely can't remember a worse performance . If it wasn't for our goalkeeper Kaminski, we would have lost by double figures. I'm in shock.

Nigel: We didn't show up. Looked very flat. Worst performance of the season! Very worried now. Need to find our fighting spirit again for the last four games and hope other results go our way!

Robosco: What did I witness? A very uncharacteristic display by Luton, the team selection was a total surprise with players coming back from injury not expected until next week. Brentford a very strong and skilful team exploited a team who obviously hadn’t played together as a team since the injuries started. Barkley had a bad day but his first in 30 games.

Brentford fans

Michael: Brentford were fantastic, scoring five goals away without the injured Ivan Toney. To all the people who think that Brentford are a one-player team, we proved last week and this week we can win without Toney. Well deserved. Up the Bees.

Tony: It’s been coming for a little while after a decent run recently. Almost safe!

Philly Bees fan: Getting Ethan Pinnock back on the pitch was huge. Brentford were firing on all cylinders and Luton had a terrible day. We’ll take it and love it. We’ve had a tough season with a lot going against us, but we’ve kept battling. We were due a triumphant performance.

Conor: What a game. This match was so key in keeping us up, and boy we delivered. We knew this would be the day we stay up. Unfortunately there was no clean sheet, but we know we've got four winnable fixtures. Next week - Everton. Hoping for another great result away from home.

Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis from Saturday's three Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up on the action on BBC iPlayer.

And you can watch highlights of Sunday's games here

Listen back to Saturday's BBC Radio 5 Live match commentary in full:

Luton Town 1-5 Brentford

Image source, Getty Images

A fourth successive season in the Premier League is within touching distance for Brentford.

With four games left to play, and 12 points up for grabs, they are 10 clear of the relegation zone following an emphatic win at Luton.

Yoane Wissa's double set the Bees on their way as they dominated from the first whistle, beautifully curling in his first before prodding in his second to round off a scrappy move.

Brentford put the game to bed with two goals in as many minutes just after the hour mark, with Ethan Pinnock heading in a corner and Keane Lewis-Potter stealing in at the far post to grab his third of the season.

Kevin Schade rounded off a fine afternoon for the visitors from the bench, although Brentford were unable to hold on to a clean sheet as Luke Berry snatched a goal in injury time.

Ivan Toney looks almost certain to depart in the summer and the Bees, who were without him at Luton, are showing they have more than enough firepower to cope.

The job isn't mathematically done just yet but it looks set to be a comfortable final few weeks for Thomas Frank's men.

Thomas Frank spoke to BBC Match of the Day after Brentford's victory against Luton: "We've finally got a bit of momentum. We had some very good performances recently, especially against Man United and Aston Villa.

"Today we performed very well and had some players back. It's remarkable that we still potentially were without four starts.

"I respect Rob Edwards and his staff and they make it difficult for every team, that comes here. We were very dominant and on top throughout the game, which interests me massively.

"We hit a top performance in many ways. We wanted Luton to earn the right to attack. We also knew we had to play off behind them when we had the chance. We found a good balance between the two."

On multiple goalscorers: "So pleasing for [Yoane] Wissa, scoring two goals, I was very happy for that. Keane [Lewis-Potter] also and [Kevin] Schade from the bench. Bryan [Mbeumo] was unlucky not to score but he assisted two."

On when Ivan Toney will return: "My aim and hope is that Ivan is ready and available for Everton."

On moving to the edge of safety: "We knew that playing against Luton who were seven points below us, it was a big day. We want to keep this momentum going into next season.

"There's a very important game against Everton but this league is crazy and relentless. On a season when it's not going your way then it can be very difficult."