In-form Toney helps Bees defeat misfiring Wolves

Ivan Toney scored his third goal in four Premier League games as Brentford clinched a deserved victory over misfiring Wolves at Molineux.

Craig Dawson thought he had equalised with a glancing header only for the Video Assistant Referee to determine he was in an offside position.

Toney secured the three points 13 minutes before the final whistle with a crisp finish from Vitaly Janelt's low cross.

Brentford's victory - their first away win since 28 October - has given Thomas Frank's side a healthy six-point cushion above the relegation zone, with a game in hand.

Wolves remain in 10th after back-to-back home defeats - four points adrift of West Ham in the seventh, and final, European spot.

Clinical Toney helps Bees sting Wolves

Frank's team have been celebrated for their easy-on-the eye and progressive style, but are perhaps seen as having a bit of a soft touch at times.

The Bees have led in 17 of their 23 Premier League matches this season but dropped 26 points - more than any other side in the top flight.

Before this fixture they had lost six consecutive away games and only picked up two points from 10 games outside of London.

At Molineux they were dogged and determined.

Brentford gave a lesson in game management - taking their time whenever the ball went dead, much to the chagrin of the Molineux support.

"It wasn't the prettiest," Toney told BBC's Match of the Day.

The margin of victory would have been more had Neal Maupay shown more of his current form than his past, before Norgaard gave Dawson the slip to head in Sergio Reguilon's teasing inswinging corner.

Toney, for his part, spent most of the game running into threatening areas but his chances were sporadic.

He was, though, in the right place to produce a deft finish from Janelt's low cross to notch his fourth goal since he returned from a suspension for betting offences.

Frank had spoken with an air of inevitability about Toney's future this week, but the striker seemed relaxed when asked about his plans.

"I am a Brentford player at the moment," he said.

The 27-year-old will have one year left on his contract at the end of the season and has been linked with moves to Arsenal and Chelsea.

"Nobody can predict the future. The manager has said what he has, I can't make other clubs come and get me. I'll just keep scoring goals."

With a Premier League goal ratio of one in two, and the kind of clinical finish here craved by the top sides in tight games, it feels the speculation of where he will be playing his football next season will only intensify.

Rare day when Wolves lack bite

Toney almost joined Wolves in 2014 only for the deal to reportedly fall throughexternal-link because of a failed medical.

They could have done with a striker with his cutting edge in this encounter given their impressive wide play but lack of penalty-box threat.

It should be noted, though, that Wolves have played much of the season without a recognised front man and, in truth, goals have not been that hard to come by without an out-and-out striker.

Indeed, this was their first blank after finding the net in 18 consecutive home league games since February last year - their longest scoring streak since a run of 22 games in the 1960s.

Their cause was not helped by an injured Cunha - who had been involved in 12 goals in Wolves' past 12 league games before this one, scoring seven and setting up five. His hat-trick had helped Wolves to a 4-2 win at Chelsea last time out.

Wolves fans will be relieved that the early prognosis is positive.

"He felt something in his hamstring but it doesn't feel too bad now. He was a big loss today," O'Neil said.

With top-scorer Hwang Hee-chan not featuring, having just returned after the Asian Cup, the Wolves boss had few options to change the game once they fell behind.

He introduced rookie forward Nathan Fraser, with just seven minutes of Premier League football under his belt, at half-time.

But the 18-year-old struggled to make an impact with two chances for Neto - a header and low-angled shot against the post - their best efforts aside from Dawson's disallowed attempt.