Brentford maintained their push for a place in European competition with a victory over a West Ham side who appeared more concerned with their own continental ambitions.
Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa scored the goals as Thomas Frank’s side extended their remarkable record of beating West Ham in every Premier League fixture between the sides.
Brentford still hope to squeeze into the Europa Conference League, the competition that West Ham are aiming to win, starting with Thursday’s semi-final second leg to come against AZ Alkmaar in Holland.
This victory was achieved with Brentford’s usual mixture of passion and pressing, but also without leading scorer Ivan Toney, missing with a hamstring injury.
That offered a glimpse into how Thomas Frank’s side might cope without him for a portion of next season if the England striker receives a lengthy suspension from the FA for 262 betting offences.
Bryan Mbeumo celebrates scoring Brentford’s opening goal against West Ham on Sunday
The Bees broke the deadlock at the Gtech Community Stadium thanks to Mbeumo
Yoane Wissa (right) celebrates with Kevin Schade after doubling Brentford’s advantage
Wissa finishes to put Brentford in firm control of the contest just two minutes before half-time
Frank said: ‘It was the most convincing 2-0 win I have witnessed for some time, on chances and the flow of the game. The only disappointing thing is that we didn’t score at least two more goals.
‘I am so happy that we proved that and that we will finish 100% in the top ten now, which is an incredible achievement.
‘Last time Ivan was out, Wissa stepped in and scored. Today he stepped in and scored. I can’t praise him enough and I’m sorry that I can’t give him more minutes.’
Brentford’s pressing game worked a treat in the 21st minute with Flynn Downes hurried into a pass which Wissa was able to steer to Vitaly Janelt. He fed Mathia Jensen who slipped in Mbeumo to steer his low shot beyond Lukasz Fabianksi.
After Wissa tested Fabianski with a low drive, one of Brentford’s potent weapons came to the fore – the long throws of Jensen.
One almost brought a goal for Kevin Schade whose header was brilliantly parried by Fabianksi before Ben Mee somehow steered his shot wide.
The tactic was causing problems and brought its reward three minutes before half-time.
Again, Jensen sent the ball spinning into the West Ham area. This time, Mee headed it on for Wissa to glance into the far corner of Fabianski’s net.
West Ham had offered nothing to that point, but Danny Ings did at least force David Raya into a low save just before the interval.
While he will be concerned about his side’s insipid display, particularly in the first half at the Gtech Community Stadium, Hammers manager David Moyes will still feel confident that they already possess too many points to be in realistic danger of relegation.
Moreover, he was able to rest the majority of his first-choice team ahead of Thursday’s Europa Conference League semi-final return leg against AZ Alkmaar.
West Ham were left to rue their shoddy defending after Wissa doubled Brentford’s lead
Danny Ings thought he’d halved the deficit for West Ham but VAR disallowed the goal
Divin Muamba handballed as the ball came off the post, before Ings turned the ball into the net
Referee Michael Oliver breaks the bad news to goalscorer Ings after the VAR review
Nayef Aguerd and Tomas Soucek were the only players retained from midweek, although perhaps surprisingly first choice keeper Fabianksi has not switched roles with Alphonse Areola given that the Hammers’ priority is a first major trophy since 1980, which would automatically bring European qualification, too.
Their defeat against a vibrant Brentford side could have been worse. Mbeumo connected well with a header to a Schade cross after 55 minutes only to see Angelo Ogbonna deflect it wide.
Then Dansgaard missed his second sitter of the game, volleying over from six yards at a Brentford corner.
The Hammers thought they had a route back into the contest midway through the half. First, Raya produced a brilliant save low down to palm away a Ben Johnson shot.
Then, Ings turned in a Manuel Lanzini cross, only for teenage substitute Divin Mubama to be penalised for an unwitting handball in the build-up.
Moyes disagreed vehemently with that decision although he was also critical of some of his reserve players.
Moyes said: ‘The Premier League have called it a deliberate handball. It’s really inconclusive and I certainly don’t see it as being deliberate. I’m amazed that it was chalked off.
‘I didn’t enjoy the first half performance. I thought we were soft and easy to play against. It was so poor.
Yoane Wissa goes down in the box under a challenge by West Ham’s Angelo Ogbonna
Ben Mee reacts after a chance goes begging during the first-half of the contest in west London
‘We did a little bit of work since Thursday on trying to defend long throws, but you wouldn’t have thought it by watching today.
‘Today was an opportunity to rest players, but I expected those who hadn’t played in a while to show me they should be wearing the jersey. We had senior players out there who have to take leadership on the field.’
Instead of setting up a gripping climax, the overturned decision by referee Michael Oliver meant that the contest drifted away placidly in the final 20 minutes.
This result means there should be little that is placid about either side’s remaining campaigns.
