Quality over quantity: Brentford leading the way in Premier League xG per shot statistic | OneFootball

Brentford moved up to 11th in the Premier League and maintained their unbeaten home record in 2024/25 with a 5-3 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in a thriller at Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday.

The Bees scored five goals in a Premier League game for just the third time in their history, the weekend's goal-fest joining a 5-2 win over Leeds United back in September 2022 and the 5-1 triumph at Luton Town towards the end of last season.

Thomas Frank's side kept the fans waiting slightly longer against Gary O'Neil's Wolves, however, as a sensational streak of scoring inside the first minute came to an end.

That said, Nathan Collins duly obliged with a goal after 75 seconds to give Brentford fans the early goal they are becoming accustomed to and a ding dong first period ended with the Bees 4-2 up - Bryan Mbeumo, Christian Nørgaard and Ethan Pinnock also on target for the hosts, while Matheus Cunha and Jorgen Strand Larsen replied for the visitors.

Fábio Carvalho came off the bench after the break to net his first Premier League goal in Brentford colours, and despite Rayan Aït-Nouri claiming a late consolation for Wolves, it was a super positive all-round performance for the Bees, with a jubilant Frank afterwards stating 'it looked like we would score a goal every time we went forward.'

There were plenty of candidates for Player of the Match, but Playmaker's match ratings unequivocally crowned Mikkel Damsgaard as the best player on the pitch and the Dane sparkled throughout.

It was Damsgaard's pinpoint cross that Collins nodded home to give Brentford the lead, and the 24-year-old then swung in the searching corner that Pinnock headed home on the stroke of half-time to give the Bees a two-goal cushion at the break.

The assists may headline Damsgaard's stats from the game, but a deeper dig into his numbers illustrates how influential he was in a creative sense for the Bees.

Across Matchweek 7 in the top flight, only Bukayo Saka (7) supplied more key passes than Damsgaard (6) against Wolves, and the Denmark international also supplied two accurate through balls during the encounter.

Deployed in a central role, the former Sampdoria winger was outstanding and his ability to drift wide and provide quality was evidenced by five accurate crosses.

Elsewhere, the in-form Mbeumo took his tally to six goals this season. Only behind Erling Haaland (10 goals) in the top-flight goal charts, the forward has started this season in blistering fashion and after deputising with distinction for Ivan Toney on penalties last season, he confidently stroked home from the spot against Wolves on Saturday.

What makes Mbeumo's goal return even more impressive is that he has only taken 16 shots so far this season. Nine of those (56 per cent) have been on target, and the dynamic forward has a shot conversion rate of 38 per cent.

A cornerstone of Frank's approach at Brentford has been to prioritise the creation of high-quality chances, and the Bees' xG stats so far this term suggest they are well on track in that regard: their xG per shot of 0.17 currently the best in the entire division.

One other huge positive to highlight is that the Bees (who under-performed against their xG by 11.17 last season) are currently ahead of their xG curve (+0.13xG).

Centre-back Collins is another player to have enjoyed a barnstorming start to the season, and the Irishman turned in another excellent display against his former club on Saturday.

In addition to his goal, Collins had more touches (76) than any Brentford player and topped a range of stats for the Bees including most aerials won (6), accurate long balls (4) and clearances (9).

Leading the Premier League for shots blocked this season, with 17, Collins enters the international break as one of the Bees' leading lights so far in 2024/25.

The success against Wolves ushers in the second international break of the season, and Brentford - to a man - can reflect on a job well done thus far: 10 Premier League points and safe passage to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup giving Bees fans plenty to look forward to when the domestic calendar picks back up in two weeks.

A trip to Manchester United awaits on 19 October... and the Bees have wrongs to right at Old Trafford after a narrow defeat against the Red Devils exactly a year ago today!