- Brentford beat Ipswich 1-0 in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon
- Thomas Frank’s side still have hopes of qualifying for Europe next season
- LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Are Arsenal even close to achieving big things?
Christian Norgaard is confident Brentford can conjure up ‘something magic’ at the end of the season.
The Bees moved up to eighth thanks to Kevin Schade’s 18th-minute goal and that might – but only might – be enough to qualify for a Europa Conference League spot come Sunday May 25.
‘It’s so fun to have something to play for at this stage in the season,’ said captain Norgaard, the Denmark midfielder.
‘There are a lot of teams who don’t so it’s amazing we can create these special moments and these ‘finals’ coming into the last part of the season – and hopefully by the end of it we have created something magic.’
The dream could be all but over before then however as that eighth-place slot will disappear should Crystal Palace win the FA Cup on Saturday.
Thomas Frank’s side are certainly the form side in a four-way tussle for eighth, with Brighton, Bournemouth and Sunday’s opponents Fulham still in the mix.
Christian Norgaard (L) is confident Brentford can still conjure up ‘something magic’ this season
Thomas Frank’s side still have hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Conference League
Schade’s header from a corner that had to be taken three times earned a fourth straight victory, which is their best run of victories in the top flight since 1939.
It was also their seventh away win in the last nine – a huge upgrade on early-season form that saw them lose seven out of eight.
‘We have really found good form away specially this second part of the season, which we struggled with at the start of the season,’ Norgaard added.
Ipswich fans were annoyed that Schade’s goal came at a time when referee Sam Barrott appeared to have lost control at a set-piece where players from both sides repeatedly wrestled each other in the box.
That continued throughout the game, with VAR making lengthy checks, but already-relegated Town made a game of it late on, forcing Bees keeper Mark Flekken into a string of saves.
Ipswich keeper Alex Palmer said of the constant stoppages before goal: ‘We can’t get frustrated with them. The referees and officials have got to do their own job, we’re just there trying to stay focused and try and defend.’
