Brentford sneak up on West Brom with 5th straight win

Saïd Benrahma’s hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Wigan kept Brentford well in touching distance of the automatic promotion spots as Leeds extended their Championship lead.

The pressure will pile on West Brom tomorrow with what should be an easy win at home to Hull, as Benrahma’s hammering of Wigan today means Brentford’s five wins on the bounce leave them just two points short of the Baggies in second place, and the final automatic promotion spot, with a game more played.

🎉Most productive players in 2020 (England's top 2 tiers):

14⭐️: 🐝SAÏD BENRAHMA (11G, 3A)🐝
11⭐️: Mohamed Salah (8G, 3A), Adam Armstrong (7G, 4A)
10⭐️: Bruno Fernandes (6G, 4A)
9⭐️: 🐝Bryan Mbeumo🐝, Y. Méïté +5#BrentfordFC @Benrahma2 pic.twitter.com/wA4R4Ij1Yy

— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) July 4, 2020

Meanwhile at the top, Leeds opened up a temporary four point gap over West Brom with a textbook 3-1 away win over Blackburn thanks to Patrick Bamford, Kalvin Phillips, and Mateusz Klich, that leaves them three wins and a draw from their long awaited Premier League return.

The top six opened up somewhat of a gap as fourth placed Fulham snagged a stoppage time winner over Preston thanks to Josh Onomah, while Nottingham Forest kept fierce rivals Derby at bay claiming a point, when they nearly had all three, as Chris Martin’s stoppage time goal wiped out Joe Lolley’s early opener.

And capping off the play-off places, Neil Harris continued to impress as Cardiff boss, with 1-0 away win at Bristol City opening a three point gap to Derby in seventh, and causing the Robins to part ways with Lee Johnson, after four years at the club, leaving City in 12th with four consecutive losses.

Harris’ old side, Millwall, won 1-0 Friday against Charlton to keep themselves in the play-off picture, while Preston missed the chance to keep pace with a scoreless draw against Huddersfield.

Elsewhere there were huge wins for Reading, thumping Luton 5-0 thanks to a stunning four goal display from Yakou Méïté, and Stoke, who’s 4-0 win over Barnsley, featuring a Tyrese Campbell brace, moves them two points from the bottom three in a packed relegation fight.

🇨🇮Yakou Méïté is the first player in England's top 4 tiers to score four goals in a game this season:

1⃣17'⏱️
2⃣18'⏱️
3⃣35'⏱️
4⃣62'⏱️#ReadingFC #Royals pic.twitter.com/8pE8nsYgzk

— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) July 4, 2020