Ivan Toney joked Brentford are hoping to catch Arsenal after he scored one and assisted another to help the Bees beat bottom club Southampton at St Mary’s.
Toney tapped in Christian Norgaard’s flick-on after a Bryan Mbeumo corner in the 32nd minute.
And in second-half injury-time his header sent through Yoane Wissa who calmly doubled the visitors’ lead.
Victory saw the Bees move up to eighth in the Premier League table, six points off the top four, and 25 points behind leaders Arsenal.
“It’s a tough league but hopefully we can catch Arsenal,” said Toney after full-time.
Southampton stay 20th, two points off safety having played one game more than most of their relegation rivals.
Saints’ best opportunity for an equaliser came shortly after the restart with Brentford defender Aaron Hickey blocking a Che Adams effort when keeper David Raya was beaten.
Toney impresses on eve of England squad announcement
Toney produced a match-winning performance less than 24 hours before England manager Gareth Southgate will announce his squad for two European Championship qualifiers this month.
Uncapped Toney, 26, is the second-highest English goalscorer in the Premier League this season, having scored four fewer than Tottenham’s Harry Kane and two more than Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford.
“As a striker you’ve got to be in the right place at the right time and to keep doing that I’m grateful,” Toney added.
His opener was a true forward’s finish, meeting a header at the back post to poke the ball into an empty net.
It was just what Brentford deserved, rounding off a first half where Kevin Schade had gone close with a looping header.
The Bees sat back after the restart, adding another in the closing stages to complete a league double over Southampton for the first time since the 1958-59 season.
Victory saw them move to within one point of the top six, leapfrogging west London rivals Fulham up to eighth.
“In every season there are games where you need to dig in, get the job done and get the three points and we did that today,” Brentford boss Thomas Frank told BBC MOTD.
“[Southampton] came with everything, they are playing for their lives and I have to say they did very well.
“Between the boxes they were actually better than us but in the boxes that’s where you decide the game.”
‘The process is not always linear’
Such is the tightness of this season’s Premier League relegation battle, victory would have ensured Southampton ended the day outside of the relegation zone for the first time since 5 November.
Instead they looked flat in the first half, unable to follow up their goalless draw with Manchester United on Sunday with another positive result.
“The process is not always linear” Southampton boss Ruben Selles told BBC MOTD. “You have ups and downs. We need to analyse what happened, especially the two goals and what happened in the final third.
“We need to keep adjusting and stick with the plan. One result will not change things.”
Adams’ effort following a Kyle Walker-Peters cutback was one of very few clear-cut chances for the hosts.
Southampton’s loss was their 17th in the league this season, having only tasted defeat 16 times last campaign.
“The feeling is still ‘we can do it’,” added Selles. “We will keep working, fighting and trying to keep us alive.”
They host Tottenham in their next match on Saturday (15:00 GMT), while Brentford are at home to Leicester City at the same time.
Player of the match
ToneyIvan Toney
Southampton
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Squad number8Player nameWard-ProwseAverage rating
5.65
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Squad number31Player nameBazunuAverage rating
5.54
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Squad number2Player nameWalker-Peters
Average rating5.46
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Squad number10Player nameAdams
Average rating5.11
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Squad number26Player nameAlcaraz
Average rating5.10
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Squad number15Player namePerraud
Average rating4.99
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Squad number37Player nameBella-Kotchap
Average rating4.93
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Squad number20Player nameSulemana
Average rating4.84
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Squad number35Player nameBednarek
Average rating4.83
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Squad number27Player nameDiallo
Average rating4.42
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Squad number24Player nameElyounoussi
Average rating4.34
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Squad number45Player nameLavia
Average rating4.16
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Squad number32Player nameWalcott
Average rating4.00
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Squad number12Player nameOnuachu
Average rating3.73
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Squad number14Player nameBree
Average rating3.54
Brentford
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Squad number17Player nameToney
Average rating7.86
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Squad number24Player nameDamsgaard
Average rating7.85
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Squad number11Player nameWissa
Average rating7.74
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Squad number2Player nameHickey
Average rating7.60
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Squad number18Player nameJansson
Average rating7.46
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Squad number1Player nameRaya
Average rating7.31
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Squad number6Player nameNørgaard
Average rating7.30
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Squad number16Player nameMee
Average rating7.17
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Squad number8Player nameJensen
Average rating7.16
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Squad number3Player nameHenry
Average rating7.07
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Squad number15Player nameOnyeka
Average rating7.03
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Squad number5Player namePinnock
Average rating6.98
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Squad number9Player nameSchade
Average rating6.96
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Squad number19Player nameMbeumo
Average rating6.95
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Squad number27Player nameJanelt
Average rating6.81
Line-ups
Southampton
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 31Bazunu
- 2Walker-PetersSubstituted forBreeat 59′minutes
- 35BednarekBooked at 90mins
- 37Bella-Kotchap
- 15Perraud
- 8Ward-Prowse
- 27DialloSubstituted forLaviaat 58′minutes
- 24ElyounoussiSubstituted forWalcottat 58′minutes
- 26AlcarazSubstituted forOnuachuat 66′minutes
- 20Sulemana
- 10Adams
Substitutes
- 9A Armstrong
- 12Onuachu
- 13Caballero
- 14Bree
- 17S Armstrong
- 18Mara
- 22Salisu
- 32Walcott
- 45Lavia
Brentford
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Raya
- 2HickeyBooked at 79mins
- 5Pinnock
- 16Mee
- 3Henry
- 8JensenSubstituted forDamsgaardat 79′minutes
- 6Nørgaard
- 27JaneltSubstituted forOnyekaat 45+1′minutes
- 19MbeumoSubstituted forJanssonat 78′minutes
- 17ToneyBooked at 90mins
- 9SchadeSubstituted forWissaat 65′minutes
Substitutes
- 10Dasilva
- 11Wissa
- 13M Jorgensen
- 14Ghoddos
- 15Onyeka
- 18Jansson
- 24Damsgaard
- 26Baptiste
- 34Cox
- Referee:
- Michael Salisbury
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Southampton 0, Brentford 2.
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Second Half ends, Southampton 0, Brentford 2.
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Goal! Southampton 0, Brentford 2. Yoane Wissa (Brentford) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Ivan Toney with a headed pass.
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Foul by Che Adams (Southampton).
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Yoane Wissa (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Offside, Southampton. Kamaldeen Sulemana tries a through ball, but Che Adams is caught offside.
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Attempt missed. Kamaldeen Sulemana (Southampton) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Che Adams.
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Jan Bednarek (Southampton) is shown the yellow card.
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Ivan Toney (Brentford) is shown the yellow card.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Attempt saved. Mikkel Damsgaard (Brentford) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
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Che Adams (Southampton).
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Christian Nørgaard (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Roméo Lavia (Southampton).
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Christian Nørgaard (Brentford) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Delay in match because of an injury Pontus Jansson (Brentford).
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Attempt blocked. Romain Perraud (Southampton) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Kamaldeen Sulemana.
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Corner, Southampton. Conceded by Ben Mee.
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Foul by James Ward-Prowse (Southampton).
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