Featured Image Credit: beIN Sport
Topics:Ā Newcastle United, Brentford, Premier League
Ryan Sidle
Ivan Toney shocked fans, as he failed to score a penalty for the first time in his Brentford career, with Nick Pope saving low to his left.
There aren't many people who would bet against Toney scoring from the spot, the Brentford striker is one of the coolest and calmest players in the world from 12 yards.
He helped the London club get into the Premier League with penalties in the Championship play-off semi final second leg and the final at Wembley, back in 2021.
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The striker has converted nine more penalties in the top tier, since that promotion, as well as another in an FA Cup tie, vs Everton.
His most recent miss from the spot had come when he was still a Peterborough United player, back in 2018, in a game they lost 4-0.
However, on Saturday, he updated that stat, as Thomas Frank's side took on Toney's former team, Newcastle, in a game at the top end of the Premier League.
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Just before the half hour mark, the 27-year-old stepped up to the ball in his usual calm manner, but he didn't end up with the usual outcome.
Instead, his languid style saw him under hit the penalty and it landed too close to Pope's left, with the goalkeeper easily stopping the ball.
The former Newcastle forward couldn't keep himself away from the spotlight in the first half of the game, which Eddie Howe's side would have been hoping for another win in, to keep up their Champions League hopes.
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Earlier in the game, Toney had put the ball in the back of the net, only for a marginal offside call by VAR to rule it out, with the striker beyond the last defender in the build up.
After Sven Botman had charged over Brentford's Kevin Schade in the box, everyone would have expected the game to become 1-0 soon after.
However, that's when Pope, who'd just found himself joined at the top of the season's clean sheet chart by David de Gea, following Manchester United's 2-0 win over Everton, saved the spot kick.
But, the Newcastle keeper couldn't go back above De Gea, as Toney was given the chance to redeem himself, just 14 minutes after his miss.
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With half-time looming, Alexander Isak blocked off Rico Henry in the box and, after Chris Kavanagh looked at the pitchside monitor, the referee awarded a second penalty.
This time Toney stepped up and blasted home in injury time, to give his side the lead at the break, and keep them in the hunt for European football themselves.