Brentford beat West Ham to ensure top-half finish

Updated: Oct 12, 2023, 06:18 am

First-half goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa secured a comfortable 2-0 home Premier League victory for Brentford over West Ham United on Sunday to ensure their best league finish since 1938.

West Ham manager David Moyes made seven changes to his starting line-up with one eye on the second leg of their Conference League semi-final away at AZ Alkmaar on Thursday, where they lead 2-1, and they were second best to their hosts.

Brentford move up to ninth place with 53 points from 36 games and will finish in the top half for the first time since they came sixth 85 years ago. West Ham stayed 15th, six points clear of the relegation zone with two games to play.

Brentford took the lead on 20 minutes as they won the ball in midfield and worked it to Mbuemo in acres of space on the right side of the box and his low shot beat visiting goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.

The home side doubled their advantage two minutes before halftime when Mathias Jensen's long throw was flicked on by Ben Mee and Wissa headed into the net.

West Ham thought they had pulled a goal back midway through the second half via a Danny Ings header, but a handball in the build-up from teenage forward Divin Mubama meant the goal was disallowed after a VAR check.