Mbeumo scores twice as Brentford beat Saints
Brentford made the perfect start to life without Ivan Toney.
A brace from Bryan Mbeumo was added to by Yoane Wissa as the Bees showed no sign of missing their former talisman.
Instead it was Thomas Frank’s new goal-scoring heroes who stole the show, with Toney, who completed his protracted move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli on Friday, watching on from the stands.
Despite the convincing nature of the final scoreline, Southampton started the game brightly and were unfortunate not to go ahead when Joe Aribo looped a header against the Brentford crossbar.
Frank’s side eventually found their rhythm towards the end of the first half, and the pressure they applied on the visitors’ backline eventually showed.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis was caught in possession by Mikkel Damsgaard, and the Dane set up Kevin Schade to hit the post with a shot that fell perfectly for Mbeumo to steer into the net.
After the break another defensive mishap – this one involving Jan Bednarek and Jack Stephens – left the path clear for Mbeumo to slot home from a Mathias Jensen pass.
The win was secured by Wissa as Southampton debutant Aaron Ramsdale could only push a Nathan Collins header against him and the ball squirmed over the line.
Southampton pulled a goal back in stoppage time courtesy of a curling Yuki Sugawara shot that clipped the post on its way in.
Brentford: Flekken; Ajer (Roerslev 39), Collins, Pinnock, Janelt (Van Den Berg 75); Damsgaard (Carvalho , Norgaard, Jensen; Mbeumo, Wissa, Schade (Lewis-Potter 75).
