Brentford hopeful Toney will return for Spurs game

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Ivan Toney could return for Brentford’s London derby at Tottenham on Saturday, Thomas Frank says. 

The striker missed Sunday’s 2-0 victory over West Ham after picking up a hamstring strain during the recent defeat at Liverpool.

Bees boss Frank said: “We’ll assess him during the week. There’s a fair chance he will be available for Saturday. It’s a minor hamstring injury from the Liverpool game.”


Toney was expected to feature against the Hammers but Frank decided not to risk him.

The Dane explained: “Let’s say if it was the most crucial game of the season maybe we could have strapped him together and rolled him out there.

“But we took the decision like we would with any other player. It was not the right thing to play him.”

Frank praised Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa for filling the void left by Toney’s absence.

Both forwards scored in a largely one-sided game in which Brentford had chances to win by a greater margin.

Mbeumo was a constant threat throughout on the left of the Brentford front three and could have had a hat-trick, with keeper Łukasz Fabiański making two good saves to deny to Cameroon international.

“Bryan is sometimes going a little bit under the radar – I think he’s a fantastic player,” said Frank.

“I think he could and should have scored more and was probably a little bit unlucky in some situations.

“Plus the importance for us in pressing and defensive work, he works so hard for the team.

“I can’t praise Wissa enough and I am sorry that I cannot give him enough minutes.

“He has scored six goals in the Premier League and I don’t know how many players outside of the top teams have a player that is not a regular starter with that many goals.

“It was a very dynamic front three today – it was exciting the way they complemented each other.”

The win means Brentford are sure of a top-10 finish in their second season in the top flight.

“I’m so happy we are now 100% in the top 10, which is an incredible achievement. We believed we could do something special this season,” said Frank.