Igor Thiago scored for the second time in three days as Brentford secured a 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest, ending a five-match wait for a Premier League win.
Nikola Milenkovic’s own goal put the Bees ahead after 30 minutes, before Thiago settled the contest with a 76th-minute finish that lifted Keith Andrews’ side to sixth.
For Forest, another frustrating afternoon left them 19th, with their inability to turn chances into goals continuing to undermine their season.
Dango Ouattara provided the spark for Brentford’s opener, beating Murillo down the right before driving a low cross into the six-yard area.
Milenkovic attempted to intercept, but his touch sent the ball looping over goalkeeper Matz Sels and into his own net.
The hosts almost doubled their advantage before the interval when captain Mathias Jensen struck the crossbar with a free-kick.
Forest produced considerably more attempts than Brentford but rarely threatened Caoimhin Kelleher’s goal.
Their clearest opening came early in the second half, when substitute Ryan Yates headed over from close range.
Thiago eventually punished the visitors, finishing a counter-attack launched by Jaidon Anthony shortly after the winger’s introduction.
Anthony carried the move forward before squaring for the Brazilian, whose effort beat Sels for the first shot on target of the match.
The goal followed Thiago’s midweek strike against Sunderland in the Carabao Cup and took his tally to four in all competitions this season.
Forest finally registered an effort on target through James McAtee in the 78th minute, but they could find no route back into the game.
After scoring 22 Premier League goals last season, a total surpassed only by Erling Haaland’s 27, Thiago has endured a quieter start to the current campaign.
Before the trip to Sunderland, he had managed just two goals in 10 appearances across all competitions.
One came against Birmingham City in the second round of the Carabao Cup, while his only league strike had been against Chelsea.
Two goals in three days have now improved that return to four in 12 outings, offering encouragement that he is rediscovering his finishing touch.
Speaking to Premier League Productions, Thiago expressed his relief at scoring at home again after a lengthy wait for another league goal.
The striker also experienced a limited role at the World Cup during the summer.
Having started Brazil’s opening fixture against Morocco, he remained an unused substitute for the rest of their campaign.
His return to scoring form gives Brentford another reason for optimism.
The Bees have moved into the early conversation around European qualification despite their leading scorer from last season only now beginning to find his rhythm.
Forest’s defeat leaves Oliver Glasner facing growing scrutiny ahead of next weekend’s meeting with league leaders Manchester City.
Since taking charge in the summer, Glasner has overseen just one win in nine Premier League matches. His side have collected only one point from their past five games.
Their attacking figures reveal the central problem.
Forest average 16.9 shots per league match, with only Manchester United registering more at 18.6, yet they remain the division’s lowest scorers.
They have scored six goals in nine matches and failed to find the net in five of those fixtures.
At Brentford, another 15 attempts yielded just one shot on target, arriving through McAtee with 12 minutes remaining.
Unless Forest can turn their attacking opportunities into a more reliable source of goals, their struggles near the bottom are likely to continue - and the pressure on Glasner could intensify.
