A scintillating hat-trick from Brazilian striker Igor Thiago propelled Brentford to a comprehensive 4-2 victory over a woeful Everton side at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, a result that sees the visitors leapfrog their opponents into seventh place in the Premier League table.
Everton's Dismal Display Punished
From the outset, the atmosphere was flat and David Moyes's Everton side mirrored the mood with a performance devoid of creativity and fight. Despite a bright opening where Dwight McNeil forced a save from Caoimhín Kelleher and James Tarkowski saw a header cleared off the line by Thiago himself, the hosts offered nothing further until first-half stoppage time.
Brentford, in stark contrast, were composed and threatening. The absence of key players for Everton was a factor, but it did not excuse the anonymous displays from big-money signing Tyler Dibling and McNeil, who were both substituted at half-time.
Thiago's Clinical Masterclass
The deadlock was broken six minutes after the restart, and it came from Everton carelessness. After Tarkowski played a reckless pass straight to Vitaly Janelt, the midfielder crossed first-time for an unmarked Thiago to guide home his 12th league goal of the campaign.
Brentford's dominance was then cemented with two goals in a devastating 95-second spell. First, captain Nathan Collins powered home a header from a Janelt corner, ending a run of 95 fruitless set-pieces this season. Almost immediately from the kick-off, Mathias Jensen's superb pass released Kevin Schade, who teed up Thiago for a cool second.
Everton showed a flicker of life when substitute Beto headed in a fine consolation from a Jack Grealish cross, but pushing forward left them exposed. A misplaced pass from Merlin Röhl was intercepted by Collins, who sent Thiago racing clear from inside his own half to complete his hat-trick with another impudent finish past Jordan Pickford.
Thierno Barry's late header for Everton provided mere gloss on a scoreline that flattered the home side immensely.
League Tables Rewritten
This result is a significant boost for Brentford, whose previously poor away form is now a distant memory. Igor Thiago's tally now stands at 14 Premier League goals, a figure bettered only by Erling Haaland across the division. His remarkable rise continues to capture headlines.
For Everton and David Moyes, this was arguably their worst performance of the season. The questions around their consistency and the struggle of their summer signings will grow louder after such a meek surrender at home, which saw them slip below Brentford in the standings.
