Thiago Treble Sees Everton Fall To Brentford Defeat

Everton paid the price for conceding two second-half goals in as many minutes to slip to a 4-2 defeat against Brentford at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Despite a bright opening as they looked to build on their 2-0 win at Nottingham Forest in their final match of 2025, Igor Thiago gave the visitors an 11th-minute lead with a first-time finish from Vitaly Janelt's cross.

The early stages after the break then proved decisive as Nathan Collins headed in Janelt's corner and, seconds later, Kevin Schade played in Thiago for his second of the match.

Substitute Beto gave the Blues a glimmer of hope just past the hour mark with a deft header from Jack Grealish's cross – but as David Moyes' men pushed for another, Brentford countered in the closing stages as Thiago went clean through to claim his hat-trick.

There was still time for Thierno Barry to net his second goal in as many games, nodding in another Grealish cross in added-time, although it was only a consolation as Everton now look to bounce back at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday night.

Moyes made two changes from the 2-0 win at Nottingham Forest five days earlier, Grealish making a full recovery from illness and Keane shrugging off a minor niggle that kept him out of the City Ground clash to return to the XI.

Grealish started on the left wing, with Dwight McNeil replacing Merlin Röhl as the No.10, while Michael Keane partnered captain James Tarkowski in central defence as Jake O'Brien switched to right-back in place of Nathan Patterson.

Grealish and McNeil combined for the first chance of the game on four minutes, the Manchester City loanee zipping down the left channel to the edge of the area and squaring for McNeil, whose low first-time finish was tipped around the post by Caoimhin Kelleher.

McNeil swung in the resulting corner to find former Bees defender Tarkowski, whose goalbound header was nodded off the line by Thiago.

But it was Brentford who took the lead from their first chance with 11 minutes on the clock, Janelt intercepting Tarkowski's pass and whipping in a cross from the left that was finished first time by Thiago.

The opener rocked the Blues' rhythm for a spell, although they responded midway through the first half when Iroegbunam telegraphed Yehor Yarmoliuk's pass to break into the area and screw a shot wide of the far post.

Moments later, the dangerous Thiago looked to break clear and, as he was closed down by Keane, was denied a second by a well-timed Mykolenko block.

And the Brazilian went close again in first-half stoppage-time, running onto a Mikkel Damsgaard through ball down the right channel and seeing his goalbound shot scooped over by Pickford.

Having been second best in the opening half, Everton so nearly went in level with seconds remaining as Grealish did well to cut down the left and drill across goal where Barry's diving header from point-blank range was parried by Kelleher.

Moyes responded for the start of the second half, sending on Röhl and Beto for Dibling and McNeil, but the Blues went 2-0 down five minutes in as Janelt's corner was headed home by Collins.

And it was 3-0 seconds later as Schade was played through, spun and squared for Thiago to slot past Pickford.

Left with a mountain to climb, Everton nearly reduced the deficit just past the hour mark as Garner swung in a cross from the right that Tarkowski met first, only to watch tip his header over the bar.

There was some joy five minutes later, though, as Grealish glided in a cross from the left that Beto flicked into the bottom right-hand corner to get Evertonians roaring again.

But as the Blues pushed for another for a real lifeline, Brentford exposed the space with three minutes of normal time remaining, Collins pumping a long ball forward for Thiago to chase and seal his hat-trick.

As four minutes of added-time were signalled, Grealish turned provider again, this time from the right as he chipped a cross to the back post for Barry to nod in from close range. 

By then, the damage had been done, however, as the Blues bid to move on quickly when Wolves come to Merseyside in midweek.