Match ends, Brentford 0, Fulham 0.
Ivan Toney's struggles in front of goal continued as Brentford played out a goalless Premier League draw with Fulham.
England striker Toney registered just one shot on target - and two in total - as he drew a blank for the 10th Premier League game in succession.
But Bees boss Thomas Frank backed Toney to rediscover his goalscoring touch soon.
"There are spells for any striker where they don't score in a period of time and then they'll do it again," Frank told BBC Match Of The Day.
"Ivan is a top player and he will score again soon."
Raul Jimenez had Fulham's best chance when he was picked out by Adama Traore's low cross but contrived to miss the target from close range.
Bryan Mbeumo hit the crossbar for the Bees who also had a decent shout for a penalty turned down after Yoane Wissa appeared to be bundled over by Sasa Lukic.
Fulham moved up to 12th spot ahead of Brighton on goal difference, although the Seagulls have two games in hand, while Brentford remain 16th.
Quiet day for Toney
Brentford's top-flight status had already been secured while Fulham's bid to finish in the European places was over.
It meant there was little to play for at the Gtech Community Stadium beyond three points and bragging rights for two clubs situated only a handful of miles apart in west London.
That allowed both sides to play with a level of attacking freedom, and there was a degree of intensity to the contest.
However, there was also lack of quality in and around the penalty box and among those to have a subdued afternoon in that regard was Toney.
The 28-year-old scored four goals in the first five games when he returned to action at the end of January following an eight-month suspension for betting offences.
Since he scored in a 4-1 defeat by Liverpool on 17 February there has been a goal for England in a mid-March friendly international against Belgium, but nothing for the Bees.
He is now on his joint longest run without a goal having also gone 10 games without finding the net between February and April 2019 while at Peterborough United.
In truth, Toney saw little of the ball against Fulham and, starved of service from his team-mates, largely coasted through a game with little at stake.
It remains to be seen whether Toney shows enough in Brentford's remaining two games to squeeze into Gareth Southgate's 26-man England squad for Euro 2024.
Player of the match
CollinsNathan Collins
Brentford
Avg
- Squad number22Player nameCollinsAverage rating
7.62
- Squad number24Player nameDamsgaardAverage rating
6.65
- Squad number5Player namePinnockAverage rating
6.54
- Squad number12Player nameReguilónAverage rating
6.52
- Squad number6Player nameNørgaardAverage rating
6.44
- Squad number9Player nameSchadeAverage rating
6.41
- Squad number19Player nameMbeumoAverage rating
6.38
- Squad number1Player nameFlekkenAverage rating
6.14
- Squad number27Player nameJaneltAverage rating
6.12
- Squad number30Player nameRoerslevAverage rating
6.03
- Squad number23Player nameLewis-PotterAverage rating
6.00
- Squad number11Player nameWissaAverage rating
5.94
- Squad number20Player nameAjerAverage rating
5.93
- Squad number33Player nameYarmoliukAverage rating
5.85
- Squad number15Player nameOnyekaAverage rating
5.66
- Squad number17Player nameToneyAverage rating
5.53
Fulham
Avg
- Squad number19Player nameRodrigo MunizAverage rating
7.50
- Squad number17Player nameLenoAverage rating
7.29
- Squad number22Player nameIwobiAverage rating
6.96
- Squad number20Player nameWillianAverage rating
6.92
- Squad number3Player nameBasseyAverage rating
6.85
- Squad number10Player nameCairneyAverage rating
6.74
- Squad number31Player nameDiopAverage rating
6.70
- Squad number21Player nameCastagneAverage rating
6.69
- Squad number26Player nameJoão PalhinhaAverage rating
6.68
- Squad number18Player nameAndreas PereiraAverage rating
6.65
- Squad number28Player nameLukicAverage rating
6.40
- Squad number33Player nameRobinsonAverage rating
6.36
- Squad number11Player nameTraoréAverage rating
6.34
- Squad number14Player nameDe Cordova-ReidAverage rating
6.32
- Squad number8Player nameWilsonAverage rating
6.02
- Squad number7Player nameJiménezAverage rating
5.63
Line-ups
Brentford
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Flekken
- 20AjerSubstituted forRoerslevat 45+3'minutes
- 22Collins
- 5Pinnock
- 12ReguilónBooked at 67mins
- 24DamsgaardSubstituted forSchadeat 82'minutes
- 6NørgaardSubstituted forOnyekaat 82'minutes
- 27JaneltSubstituted forYarmoliukat 66'minutes
- 19Mbeumo
- 17Toney
- 23Lewis-PotterSubstituted forWissaat 66'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Maupay
- 9Schade
- 11Wissa
- 13M Jorgensen
- 14Ghoddos
- 15Onyeka
- 30Roerslev
- 31Valdimarsson
- 33Yarmoliuk
Fulham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 17Leno
- 21Castagne
- 31Diop
- 3BasseyBooked at 89mins
- 33Robinson
- 26João Palhinha
- 28LukicSubstituted forCairneyat 75'minutes
- 22IwobiSubstituted forWilsonat 90+2'minutes
- 18PereiraSubstituted forDe Cordova-Reidat 75'minutes
- 20WillianSubstituted forTraoréat 64'minutes
- 19Muniz CarvalhoSubstituted forJiménezat 64'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Rodák
- 2Tete
- 7Jiménez
- 8Wilson
- 9Broja
- 10Cairney
- 11Traoré
- 13Ream
- 14De Cordova-Reid
- Referee:
- Graham Scott
- Attendance:
- 17,090
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home54%
- Away46%
- Shots
- Home7
- Away15
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away3
- Corners
- Home7
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home3
- Away6
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Brentford 0, Fulham 0.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Antonee Robinson (Fulham) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Tom Cairney.
Post update
Attempt missed. Kevin Schade (Brentford) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Frank Onyeka with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Issa Diop.
Post update
Nathan Collins (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Raúl Jiménez (Fulham).
Post update
Offside, Brentford. Bryan Mbeumo is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Fulham. Harry Wilson replaces Alex Iwobi.
Post update
Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Issa Diop.
Booking
Calvin Bassey (Fulham) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Raúl Jiménez.
Post update
Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Calvin Bassey.
Post update
Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Timothy Castagne.
Substitution
Substitution, Brentford. Frank Onyeka replaces Christian Nørgaard.
Substitution
Substitution, Brentford. Kevin Schade replaces Mikkel Damsgaard.
Post update
Corner, Fulham. Conceded by Mark Flekken.
Post update
Attempt saved. Adama Traoré (Fulham) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Tom Cairney.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Antonee Robinson (Fulham) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Post update
Corner, Fulham. Conceded by Nathan Collins.
Comments
Join the conversation
I hope that whatever the price Arsenal stay well clear of him.
He isn't particularly good and I remember the noises he made in the media to engineer a move from Brentford.
Nothing but a mercenary.
Didn't the Bee's keeper touch an early Cottager shot onto his bar and over? Weren't the Cottagers the more likely team to score after the hour mark not that they get much of a mention in this so called report?
BBC sports pages may look impressive but content is crap - really crap.
He needs to get a season back under his belt to prove he is worth the money.?
But hw was too busy crying he was hard done by
Fine - because EVERYONE should have the opportunity to comment on the BBC platform that is effectively , owned by the people
But no opportunity to comment on teams playing do or die final games in the Championship
To put a twist on George Orwell..
All teams supporters are equal / but some are more equal than others
From a Pompey fan