Life without Ivan Toney started in perfect fashion for Brentford, as they cruised to a 3-1 victory over Southampton at the Gtech Community Stadium.
As a result, the visitors have opened a league campaign with three consecutive defeats for the first time since 2012/13.
Saints boss Russell Martin handed a start to his new goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, and he was straight into the action, rushing off his line to smother an effort from Mikkel Damsgaard inside the opening two minutes.
The visitors responded well to that early scare, with Joe Aribo hitting the frame of the goal with an unorthodox header from their most notable opportunity of the half.
Both sides struggled for attacking quality, but it was Southampton’s deficiency in their own final third that meant they were behind at the interval.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis was caught in possession, and after Kevin Schade’s effort came back off the post, Bryan Mbeumo did brilliantly to stroke the rebound into the bottom corner.
The visitors ought to have responded immediately as a Yukinari Sugawara cross picked out last season’s top scorer Adam Armstrong, who was isolated in the middle of the box, but the striker completely missed his kick and the chance went begging.
Armstrong was duly replaced by Cameron Archer at the break, but it was Brentford forward Schade cursing his finishing when he could only direct Mbeumo’s cross into the hands of Ramsdale.
Southampton were an improved outfit after their substitutions, yet it was Brentford who continued to look likelier to get the next goal. And so it proved, as Thomas Frank’s men once again capitalised on poor play in their own third from the visitors to double their advantage.
This time Jan Bednarek was caught out, and when the loose ball dropped to Mathias Jensen, he had the simple task of finding Mbeumo, who opened up his body to stroke home his second of the afternoon.
Just four minutes later, Brentford scored again as the Southampton defence showed its soft underbelly once more.
Jensen’s long throw-in wreaked havoc in the box, allowing Nathan Collins to flick a header to the back post where Yoane Wissa was waiting to bundle home, making this the fourth consecutive head-to-head in which he’s directly contributed to a goal.
That summed up a miserable afternoon for the Saints, but the away contingent had something to celebrate in stoppage time when Sugawara’s gorgeous volley reduced the arrears and secured them a first goal in four head-to-head, though they’ve all ended in defeat.
