3-1 v Brentford FC - 21 September 2024 - Home

Dominic Solanke scored his first goal for Tottenham as they came from behind to beat Brentford in an entertaining game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The visitors went in front after just 23 second when Bryan Mbeumo superbly volleyed home from Keane Lewis-Potter's cross.

Spurs were level on eight minutes when Ethan Pinnock's pass was cut out on the edge of the box by James Maddison and after his shot was saved, Solanke coolly tucked in the rebound.

It was the striker's first goal since his £65m move from Bournemouth in the summer.

The home side continued to dominate, and after another loose Brentford pass led to Brennan Johnson firing a neat finish past Bees goalkeeper Mark Flekken just before the half-hour, they were more than deserving of their lead.

Maddison made sure of the points late on with a delicate dink after running on to Son Heung-min's pass.

After falling behind so early, Spurs responded well and were much the better side in a chaotic first half, with Brentford gifting them possession time and again.

But it was the visitors who had the best opportunity late on in the half with home keeper Guglielmo Vicario saving from Mbeumo after he had been robbed of possession on his own six-yard line by Fabio Carvalho.

Spurs had their chances early in the first half but Brentford felt they should have been afforded a way back into the game just before the hour when Vicario appeared to handle outside of his box.

However, referee John Brooks turned away their appeals and as it was not deemed denial of a goalscoring opportunity, the video assistant referee team did not intervene.

Brentford's frustration was added to when the Italian goalkeeper produced a fine save to claw out Kevin Schade's well-directed header.

While the away side tried to force an equaliser, Maddison's goal on the counter ensured eased the home fans' nerves as Spurs clinched a second league win of the campaign.

With Brentford searching for an equaliser, Vicario came a long way off his line to try to claim a cross.

He failed to take it cleanly and, as his momentum took him out of the penalty area, he reached back to palm the ball away from a Brentford attacker.

The visitors were adamant Vicario had handled outside the box but referee John Brooks turned aside their appeals and as it was not deemed denial of a goalscoring opportunity, the video assistant referee team did not intervene.

VAR can only get involved in decisions on goals, penalties, direct red cards and mistaken identity, and it was decided the incident did not fall into any of those categories.

Even if the handball had been given, Vicario would not have been sent off as it did not prevent a clear chance for Brentford to score.

"Not only looked, he had handled it outside the box, but that incident did not define the game," said Brentford manager Thomas Frank.

"It was a mistake. It could have been a free-kick to us. It could have helped us. But, hey, you never know.

"I think the probability of scoring from a direct free-kick is like 0.0543, so probably not the biggest probability for scoring anyway.

"And I think John Brooks overall had a very good game. The way he handled soft fouls both ways was really good.

"I understand how it is. We can't be too - I don't like the word aggressive, but - in-their-face because it's just our frustration. We can't do anything about it. Hey, move on."

With their team having made their worst start to a league season in nine years, Spurs fans may have been fearful when their side fell behind so early in the game.

Instead, they witnessed a superb response as the hosts swarmed Brentford, forced their opponents into errors and soon equalised.

The pass from Pinnock was a poor one but Spurs were ready to pounce in a sequence that summed up the first 45 minutes.

Solanke was the beneficiary on that occasion - a simple finish to get off the mark for the season - but Brentford's generosity in possession meant there were plenty of chances to go around.

"He was good again. I think he's been good in every game he's played for us and strikers love scoring goals," Postecoglou said of Solanke.

"A great moment for him to score his first goal for the club, particularly at home.

"Aside from that, again it was a really strong performance by him. I thought he led the line really well."

Spurs must take plenty of credit for the way that harried their visitors and set traps to win back the ball before springing forward at pace.

By the time Johnson put them in front, the winger had already gone close twice, and Son burst clear and rounded Flekken, only for some uncharacteristic hesitation that led to him being crowded out.

There were fewer chances in a less frenetic second period, but even as Brentford pushed them back, Spurs seemed in control and remained a threat on the break.

That eventually brought them Maddison's clincher that, after losses to Newcastle and Arsenal, has Spurs looking up again.

For the second week in a row, Brentford lost after taking the lead in the first 25 seconds. But while there is no shame in defeats at Manchester City and Tottenham, Frank will know his side did themselves no favours in north London.

Tottenham came back at them with great intensity after Mbeumo’s first-minute strike, and there is no doubt that Brentford were holding on.

It required some desperate defending to keep it at 1-0 for as long as they did and while Spurs' press did force Brentford to cough up possession at times, the mistakes that led to the first two goals were wholly unforced.

On both occasions, the ball was given away under little to no pressure and they were ruthlessly punished.

The Bees were much sharper after the interval, created chances and will point to the possible Vicario handball as a potential turning point.

But, in truth, it was their own carelessness that led to them surrendering another early lead and falling to a third league defeat of the campaign.