Updates from your Sport topics will appear in My Sport and in a collection on the Sport homepage.
Latest updates
Ipswich 0-1 Brentford: Schade scores again to boost Bees' European hopespublished at 17:49 10 May
17:49 10 May
Matthew Howarth BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
Much of the focus at Brentford this season has been on the goalscoring exploits of Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, but Kevin Schade has hit a purple patch of his own in recent weeks.
The German's first-half header at Portman Road was his fourth goal in his past three appearances and his 12th in all competitions in 2024-25.
Schade shot straight at Alex Palmer in the second half as Brentford sought to press home their advantage, but the visitors were a little fortunate to claim all three points after surviving heavy Ipswich pressure late on.
The woodwork came to the Bees' rescue when Omari Hutchinson's right-footed effort rattled the outside of the post, and Mark Flekken produced a smart save to deny Cameron Burgess in second-half stoppage time.
But Thomas Frank's team held on to register their fourth consecutive top-flight win - their most since 1939 - and keep alive their hopes of securing a place in Europe next season.
Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken saved all four of Ipswich's shots on target today; he has faced the most shots on target of any goalkeeper in the Premier League overall this season (192), however, just 26.6% of them have resulted in goals conceded, the best rate of any goalkeeper this term.
Ipswich 0-1 Brentford - send us your thoughtspublished at 16:55 10 May
Sutton's predictions: Ipswich v Brentfordpublished at 14:08 10 May
14:08 10 May
Ipswich did well to fight back for a draw against Everton last week but this is a really tough game for them.
Brentford are such a dynamic team and now they have got Kevin Schade scoring as well as Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, so it is going to be hard to keep them quiet.
The Bees recovered from 2-0 down to win 4-3 when they played Ipswich at home in October, with Mbeumo scoring the winner in the 96th minute.
That was a big blow for the Tractor Boys at the time, but I don't think this will be anywhere near as close. Brentford have won three games in a row, and this will make it four.
It will 'not be hard' for Brentford to keep hold of star playerspublished at 12:04 9 May
12:04 9 May
Image source, Getty Images
Brentford can keep hold of their key players. The reason I think they can? It is because those players, as is the case with the manager, seem like they enjoy being there.
They were brought there for a particular reason, and they have the understanding of what the club is, how they want to do things. Brentford play to the strengths of the players and allow the manager to put forward his vision for what he wants from the football club.
So, when it comes down to players leaving, I think it is more than just a case of somebody saying 'we want your player' and the player being desperate to leave because lots of players are happy to stay.
If there is a move that is available to them that changes their lives for ever, whether that is financially, structurally, to play at the highest level, for international prospects, then great. But, they are currently playing for a good football club who, come the end of the season, might be in Europe next year anyway. So it will not be as hard to keep these players as some people may think because people are motivated by different things.
The attitude of the players and the manager at Brentford is something that makes them super-competitive because they are happy to be there. Of course, nothing is perfect - no place is perfect - but the identity of the players and the manager suits the space.
I am sure Brentford do not want to hold people back should they have grand ambitions as such, but when they could be playing in Europe next season for the club they have been at for the past few years, it should not be that hard to keep hold of them.
There will be interest there in the summer, which is rightly deserved, but for the players who are having interest shown in them, they have earned the right to be able to decide if they want to stay or go.
Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson
Frank on Thiago return, European 'dream' and being 'selling club'published at 15:46 8 May
15:46 8 May
Brentford boss Thomas Frank has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Ipswich Town (kick-off 15:00 BST).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Frank confirmed that "everyone who was ready for Manchester United is available again", including Igor Thiago who they were "pleased" to get back out on the pitch.
On the forward's return: "Igor is over the worst part and getting into training - now it's just about giving him the right load like with any player, whether it's a joint infection, hamstring or an ankle. Now he just needs to be fit enough to compete. We pushed him a bit hard to be available for the squad because we needed him. He will not start, but he had a good week of training this week."
On Aaron Hickey's fitness after featuring for the under-21s on Monday: "He is getting closer. He's short of being in the next squad but hopefully he can be involved in one of the last two games. Let's see. It's about building him correctly."
Frank would like to keep Bryan Mbeumo as he wants "the best players to stay at the club", but acknowledged that Brentford are "a selling club". However, he said other clubs will need "a lot of money" to buy a player like him or fellow attacker Yoane Wissa.
On the race for European positions: "It is a unique group of players. They are a driven and ambitious group but we all need a little extra help sometimes. To qualify for Europe is not in our hands. There are other factors that need to fall into place. We hope and we dream, but if we finish in the top 10, it would be a remarkable achievement."
On being an established Premier League side and no longer just a "bus stop in Hounslow": "In our heart we may still be a bus stop in Hounslow, but we always need to remember that and have that inside of us because that keeps us grounded and humble. We always dream and want more, but always remember who we are."
The Brentford boss sees the trip to Portman Road "as potentially the most difficult of the three" remaining matches as Ipswich "have been competitive in every game". Frank knows his side "need to be absolutely up for it" but is confident they will be ready.
What makes Brentford run 'all the more impressive'?published at 12:43 6 May
12:43 6 May
Ian Westbrook Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
I may have to eat my words about Brentford's chances of qualifying for Europe.
I have said a couple of times in this column that I didn't think the Bees would finish high enough in the table, but notable wins in four days at Nottingham Forest and over Manchester United have made it a real possibility.
Nobody has really mentioned us as one of the sides who could qualify, but we have hit form at just the right time.
The victory at Forest was our best result of the season - especially keeping a clean sheet - and to follow that quick turnaround by putting four past an albeit slightly weaker than normal Manchester United team was no mean feat.
It means we have now won three in a row, we are unbeaten in five, and we have only lost two of our last 11 games.
Seven consecutive games in that run were against teams in the top half of the table, which makes it all even more impressive.
The local derby on Sunday next week against Fulham - who are one of the other sides in European contention - could potentially decide whether we make it.
Kevin Schade's brace against Manchester United means that we now have three players into double figures for goals this season - a feat only matched by Barcelona and Bayern Munich across Europe's top five leagues.
Our 62 goals is our highest-ever total in our four Premier League seasons and our attacking intent is always clear.
Even with a one-goal lead deep into stoppage time on Sunday, we were still trying to score a fifth rather than just holding the ball in the corner, which is great to see.
Bees 'pretty relaxed' on futures of Wissa and Mbeumopublished at 16:21 5 May
16:21 5 May
Nizaar Kinsella BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty Images
In the second part of a wide-ranging BBC Sport interview with Brentford director of football Phil Giles, he answered a number of questions around the futures of key Bees players:
On Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo: "I have a lot of insight but that doesn't mean I will talk about it! No, in general, if I was looking at a striker or a wide player as another club then they have to be on a shortlist, you would imagine. But the number of clubs that can sign them is a small number worldwide so time will tell if a club has that need or requirement. At the moment, we are pretty relaxed."
On if they can be retained by offering new contracts: "Yes, what I'd say is there is always a very good chance of players staying. In an ideal world, there is always a chance we can keep our best players, that's the dream. When we were a Championship club, we had Ollie Watkins, he signed a contract with us at one point. We said we would convert him from a wide player to a striker - we did that and he was successful - and if we didn't get promoted we would look to sell him. We were proactive to go out and sell him, we made a promise to him and we needed cash at that time because it was Covid. But now we are a Premier League club we don't need to sell Wissa, Mbeumo and others. There is more chance that a player will stay for that reason but if a big club makes a really good offer for our players then we have to look at it. We need to be good sellers, then use the money to invest wisely."
On if players like Igor Thiago and Fabio Carvalho could replace them if they left: "Yes, that's exactly how we want to do it, really, to have the players already on board when we sell our players. Igor Thiago was bought in February 2024 because Ivan Toney was leaving. He has been unlucky with injury but the other players have come in and done well. Even at left-back, the solution to Rico Henry missing football was sitting under our noses all along - Keane Lewis-Potter has done an unbelievable job to the extent he is maybe an even better player at left-back. If an existing player can take their place, it is better for them and us."
Take in much more from Giles in the posts below.
'I don't think we will ever have many' - what next for multi-club model?published at 15:36 5 May
15:36 5 May
Nizaar Kinsella BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Academy director Stephen Torpey joined Brentford in January 2023 to lead what he feels is a "clean slate" having worked with the likes of Enzo Maresca, Pep Guardiola, Cole Palmer and Phil Foden at Manchester City, while also working with Rodolfo Borrell, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Curtis Jones at Liverpool.
Torpey is taking charge of the revamping of Brentford's academy after they decided to reintroduce the youth system.
Speaking at the launch of Brentford's news academy building, Torpey explained: "I was so fortunate to be around great people at City and Liverpool - a lot of people I worked with have gone onto great things - a lot of players I've worked with have gone onto play for their teams, but I'm proud of those who didn't succeed, became coaches or play at a lower level."
Brentford's growth off the field extends to owner Matthew Benham's restructure of the club into a new holding company - Best Intentions Analytics, which bought Spanish third division club Merida.
Director of football Phil Giles further explained the strategy behind the expansion: "Merida will be run for its own success, first in Spain but it is also close to Portugal, so it is one of the markets many clubs look at. It was an opportunity as the previous owner Mark Heffernan was looking to sell, did good work and knew Matthew Benham already and it was sensible numbers.
"There will be a conversation about a link but that's very early in the process. We will look at how Brentford can help Merida grow and win, and help players develop for Brentford. It is easy to say it but hard to do it in practice so both are successful.
"I don't think we will ever have many clubs [in the multi-club model]. At this stage, we are not looking for another club but it doesn't mean we are not open in the future. We just want to do this really well and we are trying embed the relationships on the ground, settle it down and that will take time."
Read more from Giles on the academy and profit and sustainability rules below.
'We couldn't wait 10 years to bring players through'published at 15:31 5 May
15:31 5 May
Nizaar Kinsella BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Brentford made headlines when scrapping their academy and instead created a new, innovative B team model in 2016.
In part, due to the new Premier League rules, Brentford have re-started an academy in what might, on first look, seem like a u-turn.
However, the B team remains and this is a club in a very different position to where it was 10 years ago, as director of football Phil Giles, explained: "We had an academy but closed it in 2016. The reason for that was that we were a very small Championship club with low revenue and the spend on the academy wasn't meteoric but still big enough and we felt if we wanted promotion we had to spend every penny on that target.
"We couldn't wait 10 years to bring players through, we wanted promotion to establish some revenues.
"That's why we focused on our first team and B team. The idea with the B team was these are players closer to the first team, capable of making a genuine impact -players like Mads Roerslev and Marcus Forss came through that for our promotion team.
"When we got promoted, we reviewed it and considered re-opening the academy because our revenues improved. Brexit had an impact because it limits overseas player availability but also increases demand on British players from all other clubs across the Football League.
"We, for example, we got Fin Stevens in from Woking and sold to St Pauli from our B team, so there is that increased demand for English talent. We also need more youth teams to get our Uefa license if we end up playing in Europe, and the final thing was the Premier League mandate changed the rules to tell us to open an academy so that was the final thing tipping us over the edge to do it."
He added at the launch of the new academy building: "The B team still exists and will do what it has been doing but will now have a pipeline from Under-9s to the B team, which also plays in Professional Development League, as Under-21s, but also play the same bespoke games as they always have done. The B team is still the link to the first team."
Academy director Stephen Torpey, formerly a coach at Liverpool and Manchester City, further explained: "We treat it like a private school for footballers.
"There are more coaches available, about five-to-one with combined age groups at younger levels, which allows us to give more tailored, bespoke programmes and give an opportunity to grow.
"We also encourage kids to continue playing grassroots sport to aid their friendships away from Brentford and take some of the pressure off. We've recruited 114 players and hired 54 full-time staff members with around 30 part-time staff on top to build out that team.
"We are the first club ever to go from a Category 4 academy to Category 2 and the next step will be adding an indoor pitch, a dome, to get to Category 1.
"Our Under-18s were the first men's team to have a female coach in Lydia Bedford. Our B team, which fulfil the U21s programme and we are in the play-offs, we're in the final of Premier League Cup, competing against Monaco and Nice in the Atlantic Cup.
"As a dad of four myself - I know it is about caring first and we want to be admired as the most caring, progressive academy, which fits the ethos of the rest of the club."
You can read more from Giles as part of a wider interview below.
Brentford 'content with continual progress and evolution'published at 12:51 5 May
12:51 5 May
Nizaar Kinsella BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty Images
As part of a wide-ranging interview about the youth teams and multi-club future of Brentford, director of football Phil Giles answered a number of questions, including around the club's chances of qualifying for Europe and transfer plans:
On this season and the possibility of qualifying for European football: "We don't set specific targets about winning cups, qualifying for Europe or getting into a position. It is about improving the squad, staff and the environment around it in the hope we achieve a tangible reward. If that happens in the future, who knows? If it was a bigger club, we might target Europe but we are just content with continual progress and evolution."
On whether qualifying be a 'catch-22' situation with the impact it could have on league form: "Yes, well there are a number of ways to go about it. You maybe could increase the squad size or give opportunities to younger players. We are not getting ahead of ourselves but we would look at it in terms of the squad if we do it."
On possible incomings: "There is no European or non-European plan. The plan is to be ready in all positions as you never know who might leave - to be ready and to react quickly if that's the case, then to look at positions in the squad that can be strengthened over time. When we go into a summer window, we think, who is the best possible player you can sign? We think if we keep adding players to the squad, we can learn about them. Like [Keane] Lewis-Potter, who we didn't know could play left-back, we can learn about them and Thomas can shape a team out of it. If you have quality in the first place, you have a better chance of succeeding."
On if Brentford can benefit from a strong profit and sustainability rules position: "Yes, we have loads of PSR headroom - I wish we could sell it to the highest bidder if anyone wanted to buy it. Unfortunately, the regulations don't allow us to do it but it would be a creative solution if clubs that had PSR headroom could sell it to clubs that potentially need it. I don't anticipate it being discussed in the near future."
Check this Brentford page again this afternoon for more from Giles.
Brentford thriving off 'great intensity and physicality'published at 12:27 5 May
12:27 5 May
Image source, Getty Images
Following Brentford's 4-3 win over Manchester United, Thomas Frank's side now have three players that have contributed 10 or more goals in the Premier League this season - with no other team matching the same statistic.
Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa and Kevin Schade are all in double figures in a campaign where the Bees sit ninth in the Premier League having won their last three games.
Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy praised Danish manager Frank for doing a "great job" at the club on Match of the Day 2.
"They have got a great intensity and physicality about them," Murphy said. "Make no bones about it, I have seen Brentford play a few times and they know how to play as well as going long.
"They do have long throwers, they do play long occasionally and they do use their pace, but they can also play out from the back as well with Christian Norgaard getting on it.
"They vary their game as well as any other team in the Premier League. I think Thomas Frank has done a great job."
Former Premier League player Wayne Rooney agreed, adding: "I played against them with Derby County a few years ago, so to see them established in the Premier League, doing really well and potentially playing in Europe - the manager has done brilliantly."
Brentford 4-3 Man Utd - the fans' verdictpublished at 10:40 5 May
10:40 5 May
Image source, Getty Images
We asked for your views on Brentford's Premier League match against Manchester United.
Here are some of your comments:
Brentford fans
George: Never a dull day in Hounslow! We brought on too many players for the final 10 minutes and saw our shape and marking fall apart. Thankfully we didn't fall prey to one of United's trademark comebacks and can appreciate three huge points. Michael Kayode and Kevin Schade were real standouts once again and Yoane Wissa was on fire, scoring four in four games with no signs of stopping.
Ron: We were great in attack but we were so poor in defence. Great game to watch and I think Brentford are an unbelievable team on their day. Shout out to Kayode who arguably had his best game as a Bee. He was great with the ball at his feet, showing us that we must sign him permanently in the summer. Also two great headers for Kevin Schade who had a very good game. Come on you Bees!
Luke: Brentford were excellent and deserved the win, despite playing a weakened United team. They looked threatening going forward and the front three of Bryan Mbeumo, Schade and Wissa combined well, as always. Brentford look strong in every position. Let's hope we can hold on to Mbeumo and Wissa for next season.
Man Utd fans
Steve: Absolutely awful. Scored three (two consolation goals) but shipped four. Do they think they need to be in a losing position before it's worth playing? They are not good enough to give teams a two or three-goal headstart.
Michael: This was treated at the same level as a pre-season friendly, and the third youngest line-up in Premier League history proved it. It was a good runout for the second string and only just came up short
Matt: How can we even consider selling Alejandro Garnacho? He's a bright, creative spark and running with the ball - an exciting, dynamic winger. The sooner we go back to width and crosses into the box (Amad Diallo and Garnacho) the sooner Rasmus Hojlund starts firing. End this turgid possession-based football. It's tedious and gets us nowhere!
Catch up on the Premier League actionpublished at 08:06 5 May
08:06 5 May
Mark Chapman presents highlights and analysis from Sunday's four Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from the rest of the weekend.
Brentford boost European hopespublished at 18:39 4 May
18:39 4 May
Sean Kearns BBC Sport
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Brentford will finish above Manchester United in the Premier League for the first time
Brentford kept their European hopes alive with a thrilling 4-3 win against Manchester United at the Gtech Community Stadium.
A Luke Shaw own goal, Kevin Schade brace and a late Yoanna Wissa effort gave the Bees a 4-1 lead.
United scored two late goals through Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo to ensure a nervy finish.
But the Bees hung on to make it three wins on the bounce.
The victory leaves Thomas Frank's side in ninth, one point behind eighth-placed Bournemouth.
Depending on results in the Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup, an eighth-place finish could be enough to ensure European qualification.
"I thought we were very good today," said Frank.
"I thought we were in complete control until the 4-1 and then of course I'm a little bit irritated that we were sloppy.
"It's the third win in a row, and this week away at Nottingham Forest and at home to Manchester United where we got six points and both of them were fully deserved."
'We have the momentum to aim for Europe'published at 17:07 4 May
17:07 4 May
Image source, Getty Images
Thomas Frank spoke to BBC Match of the Day after Brentford's victory against Manchester United: "We add layers to the game, we almost had a little spell where we didn't score many at the start but now the amount of goals we score is crazy. we have three players on ten or more, that's exceptional."
On aiming for Europe football: I think we definitely have momentum. The last 13 we've had a really good run of games, there's a flow of playing well. We need to keep that up. The next one is the most important game and that's Ipswich away."
On the end to the season: "It's already a good season, let's see if it can be a good or incredible season."
Image source, Getty Images
