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More than the midpoint of the campaign, Brentford find themselves in fantasy land.

Following four wins in five games, and a Brazilian striker netting the goals, suddenly Bees fans are dreaming of thoughts of trips to Milan, Munich and Barcelona next season.

A comprehensive three-nil win over the Black Cats moved Keith Andrews' side into the fifth spot in the Premier League – a place that was sufficient to secure Champions League football last season.

Only leaders Arsenal have gathered more points over the past half-dozen matches.

There is a significant distance to go yet but Brentford are firmly in the battle for continental football.

Few was envisioning this last summer.

Thomas Frank had departed for Spurs after seven years in charge, a period in which he had not only guided the club promoted but also cemented them in the elite division.

Club captain Christian Norgaard left for Arsenal and goal-scoring duo Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa – who scored a combined of thirty-nine goals in 2024-25 – were out the door, joining United and Newcastle United respectively.

Set-piece coach Andrews was promoted to succeed the Dane, while there was no striker among the summer signings.

A season of difficulty, possibly even relegation, was forecast. But here we are in the new year with Brentford in the upper echelons.

So, what is behind their success?

The Brazilian's Record-breaking Campaign

The club's decision not to sign another striker was partly down to circumstance, with one forward's move not being finalized until the final day of the window.

But they also were aware they had a £30m striker already chomping at the bit.

Igor Thiago joined from Belgium in the summer for a then club record fee, but was plagued by injury in his debut campaign, going without a goal in his initial outings.

The 24-year-old has gone about making up for lost time this season, though, with his brace against Sunderland taking him to 16 league goals – the highest tally by a player from Brazil in a single English top-flight campaign.

Given the countrymen who have preceded him, that is some accomplishment, especially with seventeen matches left to play.

"He has been a revelation," pundit Danny Murphy said. "He's a physical specimen, quick, powerful, but technically better than people think. Good with his feet, both feet, he can score off both. You can see he's full of confidence. These numbers are fantastic. He must be so proud. That's a huge compliment to him."

That only a trio of global superstars have scored more in any of Europe's top five leagues to this point shows the level he is operating at.

And it is not just the volume but the timing of the goals that have been so vital for his team.

His opener against the Black Cats was his 7th opener of the season. Given how often we are told the importance of the first goal in a game, having someone you can rely on to take that early opportunity cannot be underestimated.

Prior to the game against Sunderland, no player to have attempted at least thirty efforts this season has a better shot accuracy rate than the striker's 59.1 percent.

He finds the target. Achieve that consistently and the goals will – and have – come.

Considering the struggles he had earlier in life, where he worked as a bricklayer to provide for his family following the passing of his father, perhaps it should be no surprise that pressure on the pitch is something he takes in his stride.

"Our scouts deserve a lot of praise for the type of players they bring in and personalities," Andrews said. "It is really impressive. He is a really unique person who has fitted into life very nicely. He has had to forge this path. He has earned his journey and grafted. He has got real determination about his personality. He is developing his abilities constantly and we are discovering more and more about him. He is a largely all-round centre-forward."

The Manager Proving Sceptics Incorrect

Igor Thiago is the man of the moment but Brentford are not and have never been a single-player team.

While they had key individuals – Ivan Toney, Christian Eriksen, Mbeumo and Wissa – under Frank, they were always seen as a team stronger than the individual components.

The fear was that once the Dane left, that may not be the case, and that the sum of their parts alone might not be enough to stay up.

Consequently, appointing Andrews, with no previous managerial experience, and just a year at the club was seen by those external observers as a huge risk.

A first managerial job is a test for anyone, especially when it comes in the Premier League and having made the jump from set-piece coach to the manager's office.

But given that Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna was the only other alternative that the hierarchy looked at, they were clearly confident they had the correct candidate.

To date, as often seems to be the case with the brains trust at Brentford, it looks as if they were vindicated.

Andrews won just a single of his first 5 league games in charge but big home victories against Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle have followed.

Wins that, following their excellent recent form, could prove increasingly important in the race for Europe.

"We're in good form and playing really good. We are playing with courage and conviction in everything we do with and without the ball," Andrews added. "We are pleased with how we are going but we want to keep pushing."

In a league where the European spots and the lower mid-table are currently separated by just a handful of points, they have little choice, because things could quickly look very different.

But, for now, Brentford are beating the odds. And the longer that continues, the closer to fruition those dreams of the continent will become.