Igor Thiago scored a clinical hat-trick as Brentford secured a commanding 4-1 victory over Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium, moving above their opponents in the Premier League table. The Brazilian striker's treble was the highlight of only Brentford's third away win of the season, a result that ends a troubling run on the road.
Thiago, who now has 14 goals for the campaign, joins elite company in Europe's top five leagues, with only Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé and Harry Kane having scored more. Brentford head coach Keith Andrews praised his striker's composure. 'His finishes were outstanding, really clinical, calm and confident,' he said. 'He is in some pretty esteemed company, but he has earned it.'
Everton started brightly, with Dwight McNeil forcing a save from Caoimhín Kelleher and James Tarkowski heading goalwards only for Thiago to clear off the line. But after that early pressure, the hosts faded badly. Brentford dominated the first half without scoring, then struck twice in quick succession in the second period. Kevin Schade went down seeking a foul, but Tarkowski played a careless pass to Vitaly Janelt, whose cross found Thiago unmarked for the opener. Moments later, Nathan Collins headed in from a corner to double the lead, and soon after, Thiago added a third after a sublime assist from Mathias Jensen.
Thiago completed his hat-trick after the restart, again from close range, as Everton's defensive frailties were brutally exposed. The hosts briefly rallied when Beto headed in from Jack Grealish's cross, but any hopes of a comeback were ended when a defensive error allowed Collins to send Thiago clear for his third. The win lifts Brentford above Everton in the table, while the home side slipped to a fourth defeat in their last five matches.
Andrews highlighted Thiago's character and work ethic, noting that the striker was injured for much of last season. 'He is such a popular player among our group and a special person who deserves everything he gets because he works so hard and is so unselfish,' he added.
