Ivan Toney scored just 19 minutes into his comeback as Brentford beat Nottingham Forest 3-2; striker had been absent since May due to gambling ban; Toney's goal from free-kick was allowed to stand despite him moving the ball and vanishing spray before scoring
Sunday 21 January 2024 09:25, UK
Ivan Toney announced "I'm back" after marking his return with a goal in Brentford's thrilling 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest.
Toney started up front and wore the captain's armband for the Bees as they hosted Forest in a game between two sides hovering above the relegation zone on Saturday evening.
It was the striker's first appearance since May after completing his gambling ban, and he took just 19 minutes to find the net, bending in a low free-kick as Brentford went on to claim a crucial 3-2 win.
Speaking to Sky Sports after being named player of the match, Toney revealed he had been able to "manifest" his role in Brentford's victory, saying: "It means a lot. I'm just buzzing to be back, scoring goals for the team.
"I manifest things like this. Before I left my house, I thought, 'we're winning today and I'm scoring'.
"I'm grateful to be back. I missed it so much. I'm back."
Toney's free-kick found the net after he moved the ball - and the vanishing spray applied by the referee to mark where the set-piece should have been taken from - when the official's back was turned.
FA rules state free-kicks must be "taken from the place where the offence occurred" but the 27-year-old's actions appeared to go unnoticed by the officials, allowing him to create a better angle to bend the ball around the wall and inside Matt Turner's near post.
Toney explained why he moved the ball after the game, saying: "I think you have a yard either way. I just moved it and bent it around the corner."
Brentford boss Thomas Frank expressed a genuine unawareness of the rule if a player is allowed to move the ball slightly either side of where a foul has taken place, but admitted the strike was clever as Toney opted to keep his finish low.
"I have no clue - I didn't know it," said Frank when Toney's comments were put to him. "I didn't know he did it, and I haven't seen it back. He's a clever player. What more can I say.
"I don't know if it's right or wrong. If it's not in the rulebook, then that's not good but I take the positive as he connected well with it to bend it around the wall."
Nuno Espirito Santo questioned why Toney's goal was allowed to stand, saying: "Of course, I have [an issue].
"Everyone in this room can see it was a ball displacement. Every goal must be checked. I don't know if this was checked. It's ball displacement."
Nuno also suggested his players could have protested more vigorously after Toney scored, saying: "I think we have to be a little bit more mature in these situations.
"It changed the position of the wall. Everyone thinks the wall was faulty but it's not."
Brentford have struggled in recent months as they counted down the days until Toney's comeback, with Thomas Frank's side winless in eight matches before hosting Forest.
That run looked set to continue when Danilo volleyed the visitors in front after just three minutes, only for Toney, Ben Mee and Neal Maupay to find the net and ensure Brentford earned their first win since December 2.
"He was impressively good," Frank told Sky Sports when asked about Toney. "He's been out for eight months.
"He's a man for the big occasion. He doesn't feel the pressure. He played the football he loves.
"It's a boost to have Ivan back but we showed great character to stay in the game."
Later in his press conference, Frank added on Toney: "He set the stage of course in many ways. I must say, it was classic Ivan. He loves the big stages and he thrives there which is why he's a good player.
"It's extra impressive to come back after eight months and play the way he did. It was a clever goal, his link up and holding up player, how he defended set pieces, his work ethic is super impressive. He's quite a January signing."
Frank reserved special praise for Maupay, who scored just once for Everton last season but has now found the net five times since returning to Brentford in the summer.
"Three big points," said Frank. "It was a massive game for us. We played a fine game.
"Of course Ivan is important but there are 10 other players on the pitch. One other player I would like to praise is Neal Maupay. That was a top goal. I'm very pleased.
"We faced a good team but in the first half we struggled to get on top of the game. We didn't create enough in open play. We talked a little bit about taking less touches. We were much better in the second half."
