Brentford Boss Keith Andrews Hails Igor Thiago After His Brace Against Burnley

Brentford's recent triumph over Burnley in the Premier League was marked by Igor Thiago's impressive performance. Scoring twice, Thiago propelled Brentford to a 3-1 victory, elevating them to eighth place. The match at Gtech Community Stadium saw all goals scored in the last 11 minutes. Thiago now has 11 goals this season, second only to Erling Haaland of Manchester City, who has 14.

Burnley's struggles continued with their fourth consecutive league defeat, placing them 19th and just a point away from safety. Zian Flemming equalised for Burnley with an 85th-minute penalty. However, Scott Parker expressed frustration over his team's lapse in concentration following their goal. "We get ourselves back in it and show real character to get 1-1 and where I can be critical of us at that moment is we concede a goal within 30 seconds of scoring," he said.

Keith Andrews praised Thiago's resilience after missing a crucial penalty against Brighton the previous weekend. Despite this setback, Andrews never doubted Thiago's ability to bounce back. "He is a top human being, personality and character," Andrews stated, highlighting Thiago's embodiment of the team's values. Andrews also acknowledged the challenge posed by Burnley and their coach Scott Parker.

The Brentford manager emphasised the importance of respecting opponents and recognised that Burnley's performances might not reflect their current points tally due to the league's competitiveness. "I think their performances probably haven't given them the points that they deserve because it's a ruthless division," Andrews noted.

Parker reflected on his young squad's vulnerability after scoring, noting that they often face setbacks immediately after finding the net. "It's happened a couple of times this year," he admitted, acknowledging ongoing efforts to address this issue. He added, "It's a young squad and there's a famous saying that you're probably at your weakest when you score."

Andrews described the match as a significant test for Brentford, one they had to earn the right to win. "Today was always going to be a really good test for us and one we would have to earn the right to win," he said. Ultimately, Brentford succeeded in overcoming Burnley's challenge.