Brentford are still within touching distance of Europe, but a six-game winless run has left Keith Andrews’ side with little room for error.
Brentford’s European hopes are entering their most delicate stage of the season, with Monday night’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United leaving them with little room for error.
Keith Andrews’ side are ninth in the Premier League table, only one point off the Europa Conference League place and two points away from a Europa League spot, so the race itself is still alive. The problem is that Brentford are no longer moving with it.
Six games without a win tells the story. Five draws kept Brentford in the conversation, but the loss at Old Trafford turned a frustrating run into something more damaging. In a crowded race, avoiding defeat can only do so much. At this stage of the season, clubs chasing Europe need wins, not just evidence that they are difficult to beat.
That is the uncomfortable part for Brentford. There is still plenty to admire in the way they are playing, but this is no longer the stage of the season where performance levels can be separated from outcomes. A point can look respectable in isolation. Across six games, it starts to become a missed opportunity.
Andrews’ quote after the United defeat captured both the progress and the problem. Brentford are right to take pride in going to Old Trafford and playing with bravery, but disappointment at not getting something has to turn into frustration at not getting enough.
“The fact that we’ve come here, we’ve performed in the way we have with such bravery and personality and that we’re going to go back really disappointed that we haven’t got something from the game, I think says everything about where we’re looking to get to,” Andrews said.
That is a fair reflection of how Brentford have played in recent weeks. They have been close in several games. They have shown they can stay in matches against strong opposition. But European races are not usually decided by one bad night. They are shaped by runs like this, when sides either turn competitive displays into wins or slowly drift away from the places above them.
The Bees' final fixtures don't make the push for Europe any easier. West Ham are next, and while that is a game Brentford will feel they can win, it comes against a side fighting to stay clear of relegation. Manchester City follow, with Pep Guardiola’s side back in title contention after Arsenal’s slip, before Crystal Palace and then Liverpool away on the final day. Anfield is a demanding place to finish any season, particularly with Liverpool still pushing to confirm their Champions League place.
So are Brentford’s European hopes over? Not yet. Being within two points of a Europa League place means the opportunity is still real. But the tone has changed. Brentford are no longer in a position where good performances can be treated as enough.
They need a win quickly. Without one, this run risks becoming the spell that turns a promising European push into a season of near misses.