Brentford shrugged off an eight-month ban imposed on striker Ivan Toney as Bryan Mbeumo scored twice in a 3-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday in their penultimate Premier League game of an impressive season.
Harry Kane’s 28th league goal of the campaign, a stunning free kick, put the hosts ahead and they dominated before halftime in their last home game of the season.
But seventh-placed Tottenham’s hopes of qualifying for Europe suffered yet another blow after the break as Cameroonian forward Mbeumo dispatched two clinical left-foot finishes to turn the game on its head in the space of 12 minutes.
It prompted home chants against chairman Daniel Levy, who admitted in his programme notes it had been an “immensely difficult season” for the club. The volume increased when Yoane Wissa wrapped it up for Brentford in the 88th minute from Mbeumo’s pass.
For ninth-place Brentford, a top-half finish is assured and they even have an outside chance of sneaking above Tottenham and qualifying for Europe.
Tottenham have 57 points from 37 games, a point behind sixth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion who have a game in hand. Brentford, who host leaders Manchester City next week, have 56.