Dango Ouattara celebrated his record £42.5m Brentford move with the winning goal as Keith Andrews earned his first victory as manager against Aston Villa at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Following an alarming collapse in their Premier League opener away to Nottingham Forest a week ago, the hosts hinted at life after Thomas Frank with a guileful display every bit as gritty and intelligent as those that were a hallmark under their former boss, grinding out a fine 1-0 win against a Villa side that ran out of ideas long before full-time.
The winning goal came early in the first half, a wonderfully direct link-up between goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, striker Igor Thiago whose Bees career looks finally to be taking off in earnest, and the always-powerful Ouattara, demonstrating why the club broke their transfer record in order to sign him from Bournemouth.
For Villa, it was a performance that took too long to get going, and by the time it did in the second half, Brentford were comfortable in their mission as the visitors registered only two shots on target in a vain search for their first goal of the season.
Mikkel Damsgaard worried Villa inside three minutes, dashing beyond two defenders and bending wide from a promising position.
Ouattara took only 12 minutes to leave his mark. Thiago – fresh from scoring his first Premier League goal against Forest – manoeuvred to flick on Kelleher’s long clearance and through the middle burst Brentford’s record buy, carving between Matty Cash and Pau Torres to finish at the second attempt after Emiliano Martinez had saved.
The Bees are beginning a first Premier League campaign without Bryan Mbeumo and likely too the wantaway Yoane Wissa, but in Ouattara and fellow new arrival Michael Kayode, a £17.5million capture from Fiorentina and a rampaging attacking presence on the right up from full-back, a promising new era suggests itself.
Kelleher, another new face who impressed, then saved well with his foot after John McGinn’s low shot emerged late from through a forest of defenders.
Brentford were denied a second before half-time when VAR confirmed the on-field call that Nathan Collins had fouled Martinez at a corner before Damsgaard lashed the ball in off the bar.
Villa began the second half brightly and went close through Morgan Rogers and twice Emiliano Buendia, though neither could hit the target. It did at least signal greater attacking intent from Emery’s side.
A fine Villa move out wide ended with Amadou Onana bizarrely choosing to shoot with his right boot as the ball ran across him when Ollie Watkins’ cut-back was aching to be lashed at with the left.
Jordan Henderson, making his first Premier League start since May 2023, received a standing ovation from home fans when he was substituted in the 69th minute. Now 35 years old, the title-winning Liverpool captain of 2020 showed the kind of midfield command that once made him a stalwart for club and country.
