The primary spherical of Premier League matches for 2025 supplied up a basic at Anfield, controversy on the Amex and a mauling at Molineux.
However our Participant of the Week is …
Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford)
šø Dan Istitene – 2025 Getty Photos
It isn’t usually that we give flowers to Brentford on this column. As ever with this stuff, the “massive” golf equipment can usually hog the limelight and gamers from these supposed lesser sides are relegated to also-rans.
After all, we strive our greatest to present everybody a good shake however relating to a staff just like the Bees, the truth that they have been so persistently well-run since their promotion in 2021 can usually work in opposition to them within the media ecosystem.
This weekend although, it was merely not possible to disregard the west London outfit.
Regardless of a basic at Anfield and spectacular wins for Manchester Metropolis and Bournemouth, matchweek 20 belonged to Thomas Frank’s males.
Admittedly their opponents, Southampton, have been bordering on abysmal this season however earlier than Saturday’s conflict, there was an argument to be made that the south coast membership have been beginning to work out their points.
New boss Ivan JuriÄ was employed over Christmas and regardless of shedding to West Ham and Crystal Palace, there have been particular indicators of enchancment.
All that was fully blown out of the water at full time in opposition to Brentford, nevertheless.
It was a efficiency so good that coach Thomas Frank was virtually misplaced for phrases on the last whistle.
“The away win is sweet,” mentioned boss Thomas Frank. “However after we take a look at the efficiency, I feel it is one in all my greatest moments with this Brentford staff
“To come back down right here, in opposition to Southampton, a staff preventing to remain within the league with a brand new supervisor, is all the time tough.
“To win in the best way we did withĀ full management and dominance, giving nothing away, scoring 5 targets, I am very happy and pleased with that.”
It was a five-star efficiency from the entire squad however one man stood head and shoulders above the remainder, as he has for the reason that begin of the marketing campaign.
Bryan Mbeumo, with two targets and an help, was on the coronary heart of every thing Brentford did nicely at St Mary’s and, alongside Mohamed Salah, is without doubt one of the gamers of the season up to now.
In truth, solely Salah and Erling Haaland have outscored the 25-year-old this time period with Mbeumo having netted 18 in his final 22 top-flight appearances.
His goalscoring output has been so good in reality, that Ivan Toney’s exit over the summer time has been virtually fully ignored.
With the likes of Arsenal and Newcastle believed to be eager on his companies nevertheless, this might very nicely be one of many last occasions we see Mbeumo linking up along with his previous mate Yoann Wissa and terrorising Premier League defences.
So it is about time we gave them their flowers.
šø Dan Istitene – 2025 Getty Photos