Ivan Toney gave Gareth Southgate a double reminder that he can be England’s World Cup wildcard after all.
The Brentford striker netted both his side’s goals to deny Brighton the opportunity of beginning the weekend in fourth place.
The brace took Toney’s goal tally for the season to an impressive eight and the first one – a cheeky flick – was a finish to remember.
Toney also enhanced his reputation as an ice-cold penalty despatcher with a spot-kick second.
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Southgate picked him in a Three Lions squad for the first time for last month’s Nations League double header with Italy and Germany but did not give him a minute of action. However, the Three Lions boss will certainly be pondering that decision over the weekend.
Frank Onyeka headed an early Bees chance over before Yoane Wissa curled wide from much further out, all to background noise supplied by the away fans. They sang, non-stop for more than 10 minutes, the name of Enock Mwepu, the midfielder who had been forced to retire at 24 earlier in the week because of a heart problem.
Ethan Pinnock did well to go to ground at the other end to stop Danny Welbeck’s shot in the box as Brighton finally began to look menacing. Welbeck met Pervis Estupinan’s cross from the left with a downward header but this time goalkeeper David Raya was behind it.
Suddenly Raya was a busy man. First he tipped over Moises Caicedo’s power drive before denying Joel Veltman from much closer when Brentford couldn’t deal with the corner.
The Bees responded through Bryan Mbeumo’s volley from beyond the back post, which beat Robert Sanchez’s dive but bounce off the crossbar but the relief was short-lived for Brighton as they fell behind in the 27th minute.
Again Mbeumo was the thorn in their side, this time by beating opponents cutting in from the right flank. Onyeka was just onside to receive his pass and the midfielder’s cut-back was cheekily despatched by Toney, flicking it behind him and across Sanchez via the inside of his right boot.
Another good block in the box thwarted Brighton, this time by Ben Mee to foil Solly March and the half ended with both managers shown a yellow card following a collective loss of temper on the touchline when Frank and Veltman came together in the Dane’s technical area.
Welbeck headed over as Brighton began the second period with intent but Mee was only just wide with a header from a free-kick at the other end.
Sanchez inexplicably gifted the ball to Toney soon after but this time the striker’s deft touch deserted him. Seconds later Lewis Dunk opted to chest the ball back to his keeper and Toney was almost on the end of that too.
Veltman came to Toney’s rescue just after the hour mark with the clumsiest of challenges from behind to give referee Michael Salisbury the simplest of penalty decisions.
There was no doubt Toney would take it himself and the man Frank has repeatedly dubbed the best penalty despatcher in the world sent Sanchez the wrong way to doom the Seagulls.
March might have headed his side back in it but found Raya from close range instead of the back of the net and Raya pulled off another point-blank save late on to deny Dunk.
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