Brentford vs Nottingham Forest – Premier League: Live score, team news and updates as Brentford vs Nottingham Forest – Premier League: Ivan Toney STARTS and CAPTAINS the struggling Bees on return

Arsenal have spent the best part of the last month waiting to exhale. After slipping and sliding down the table from their lofty position at the summit, after being accused of choking again, this comfortable, cantering victory over Crystal Palace felt like a long sigh of relief.

For all their recent travails, a 5-0 trouncing of a distinctly ordinary Palace side, for whom Eberechi Eze shone like a beacon in the gloom, reassured their fretful supporters and lifted Mikel Arteta’s team to third in the Premier League, level with Manchester City and just two points behind leaders Liverpool.

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In many ways Toney actually is a new signing. You would have exected him to depart last summer if not for the lebgthy ban. Brentford fans get the chance to watch him in their colours for anotehr few months, well that’s if he stays.

Mail Sport’s Ian Ladyman certainly thinks not, especially in the current circumstances. Toney has not been shy about stating his wish to play for one of the big boys but what do you think? Does he owe Brentford anything?

The Forest boss spoke ahead of the clash and told reporters he expects a tough clash. Under his management, the side have improved their form, though they remain uncomfrtably close to drop.

Footage of the Forest team arriving at the stadium earlier. For all fearmongering, they are actually coming off the back of two wins in the league under Nuno Espirito Santo.

It’s three changes for Thomas Frank from teh side that lost to Wolves last week. Flekken returns in goal, Pinnock comes in for Ajer and Toney STARTS!

Nuno makes two changes from the team that prevailed in the FA Cup third round replay against Blackpool, bringing back Matt Turner for Vlachodimos and Elanga in place of WIlliams.

Chris Wood leads the line for the visitors.

You’re right to talk about the impact Eric Cantona made at Manchester United. When you think about how important Ivan Toney is to Brentford that probably is similar to what Cantona was to United at that time.

There’s always a lot of speculation around him and I think he’s added to that in the last days as well. I’m sure he’ll get a rousing reception and I hope it goes well for him.

It doesn’t make good reading for either side coming into the fixture. Brentford have pinned a lot of their hope on Toney’s return to the fold but there is no such figure for Forest to cling on to.

To be fait to Nuno’s team, he is seeking a third straight win in the Premier League after beating both Newcastle and Man United in their final two league fixtures of 2023.

A hat-trick tonight would induce some panic at Brentford you feel.

Here’s Brentfors’a talisman arriving at the ground a little earlier as he prepares to make his first appearance since May.

We’ll have team news for you shortly but Thomas Frank has already confirmed that Toney will start and captain the side tonight on his return.

The visitors are very much taking a back seat in tonight’s proceedngs but they are in a fair bit of bother on and off the pitch.

Last week, the club were charged by the Premier League for breaches of their profitability and sustainability rules. An independent panel will decide their guilt but if things don’t go they way they could be looking at a hefty points penalty.

Considering that they currently sit four points above the drop, that’s not the ideal sitaution for Nuno Espirito Santo and his squad.

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Here’s one of those Toney goals against Forest. This one came in the last meeting of the teams; a 2-1 win for the Bees in April last year.

Courtesy of Opta

• Brentford are without a win in their last seven games in all competitons.
• Thomas Frank’s side have lost seven of their last eight fixtures in the Premier League.
• Ivan Toney has scored in all three of his league fixtures against Nottingham Forest, as well as in his last three matches at the Community Stadium.
• Forest are winless against today’s opponents in their last five clashes going back to when the pair were in the Championship in January 2020.

Where better to begin than with Toney’s exclusive interview with our very own Oliver Holt. The striker talks at length about his time out of the game, his anticipated return and – among other things – his array of tattoos.

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Good afternoon and welcome to Mail Sport’s coverage of tonight’s Premier League clash between Brentford and Nottingham Forest.

A match between two side’s worryingly close to the relegation zone would normally attract interest but let’s be honest, we’re all here to see the return of Ivan Toney.

A lot has been said in recent weeks about the England international’s return following an eight-moth betting ban but tonight we’ll see if those Nashville training sessions have done him any good.

We’ll have all the build up, including team news, quotes from the managers, some interesting insights and plenty of reaction on social media. We’ll then be on hand to take you through the action when the game gets underway at 5.30pm!

Let’s get to it.