Reiss Nelson scored his first goal of the season and Aaron Ramsdale kept a clean sheet on his return as Arsenal beat Brentford 1-0 in the Carabao Cup.

Nelson’s first-half goal, after some dreadful Brentford defending, was enough to send the Gunners through to the fourth round.

Ramsdale was handed a recall after being dropped in favour of David Raya, who joined from Brentford this summer.

Raya had started Arsenal’s previous three games, including Sunday’s north London derby against Tottenham, displacing Ramsdale after 52 consecutive Premier League games.

With Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice injured against Spurs to join Thomas Partey, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Jurrien Timber on the sidelines, Mikel Arteta made eight changes in total.

The visitors took the lead after only eight minutes thanks to a mistake by the recalled Mathias Jorgensen, whose pass back wrong-footed Ethan Pinnock.

Eddie Nketiah leapt on the error, cutting the ball back for Nelson who stepped past a sliding Nathan Collins before neatly finishing past Mark Flekken.

Brentford were flat for long periods of their home defeat by Everton in the Premier League on Saturday and this was more of the same in the first half.

They would have been two down after half an hour but for the outstretched leg of Flekken which denied Emile Smith Rowe a goal.

The Bees look as though they are starting to miss their striker Ivan Toney, who is still suspended for admitting breaches of gambling rules and is likely to be an Arsenal target when he is available again in January.

But they eventually began to get forward and Vitaly Janelt’s shot was blocked by the diving Takehiro Tomiyasu.

They almost equalised when captain Christian Norgaard beat Kai Havertz in midfield and crossed for Yoane Wissa, whose first-time shot flew just wide.

There was a wobbly moment for Ramsdale when he was almost caught in possession by Wissa, but the ball ran away from the Bees frontman.

But the keeper came up with a fine save midway through the second half, pushing Wissa’s snap-shot against the far post.

Nelson could have had a second when Havertz got clear down the left and played the ball across, but his shot clipped the outside of Flekken’s post.

Flekken saved well from Nketiah at his near post before Ramsdale flung himself to his left to beat away Frank Onyeka’s drive as the Gunners held on.

What the papers say

Arsenal are rumoured to be keen on signing Brentford forward Ivan Toney, the Mirror reports. The Gunners have been eyeing the 27-year-old and are said to be stepping up their interest ahead of the January transfer window, with Toney currently banned from all football activities until mid-January for gambling offences.

The Daily Mail reports that a sensational return to Chelsea could be on the cards for Tammy Abraham after two years at Roma as part of a swap deal for Romelu Lukaku, who is currently on loan at the Serie A club.

Manchester United may have their eyes set on German international forward Serge Gnabry from Bayern Munich, the Daily Mail reports. The Premier League club currently lack firepower without Antony and Jadon Sancho.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Aston Villa continue talks to extend Ollie Watkins’ contract, aiming to finalise a new deal for the England international by January according to 90min.

Nigeria midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, 26, may be gearing up for a move to Nottingham Forest or Barcelona, with interest being shown by both clubs for the Leicester midfielder.

Bukayo Saka has added to Arsenal’s injury woes as Mikel Arteta revealed the England winger could miss the weekend trip to Bournemouth with a foot problem.

The 22-year-old scored from the penalty spot and saw a first-half shot deflected in by Cristian Romero as the Gunners drew 2-2 at home to north London rivals Tottenham on Sunday.

Saka, though, then limped off late in the game to be replaced by Emile Smith Rowe and will definitely miss Wednesday’s Carabao Cup third-round clash at Brentford, while his club-record run of 86 consecutive Premier League appearances is also under threat.

Declan Rice was replaced at half-time against Spurs with a back issue and forwards Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard missed the game through injury, with Jurrien Timber and Thomas Partey also sidelined.

Now Arteta is worried Saka – who has four goals as well as four assists from the first eight games of the campaign – could join that lengthy injury list.

“He was limping quite badly after the match,” said Arteta. “We had to get him off the field, which is never a good sign. He hasn’t been able to participate in the session.”

Asked if he could miss the Bournemouth game, Arteta added: “It’s a possibility, yes.”

None of the players currently on the treatment table will be available for the London derby against the Bees, with the same quintet unlikely to return in time for Saturday’s trip to the south coast.

Saka could yet make an appearance at the Vitality Stadium as Arteta once again highlighted the amount of football being played as a potential explanation for so many injuries.

“It’s true that they play with the national teams and they’re coming from a season where they had a World Cup and some players played 60-odd games,” he said.

“We’ve been unlucky. Jurrien, for example, was due to other reasons, while Bukayo was because someone stepped on him.

“There are some traumatic injuries, others are more muscular. We try to find the ways to avoid them but they’re a part of football.

“It’s true that we have a lot of internationals in the last few windows and they have quite a lot of exposure to minutes but at the moment we have a squad that is not 24 players. To change 11 or 12 players tomorrow is just not a possibility we have.”

Arteta suggested he could rotate at the Gtech Community Stadium, with fringe players and young talent in line for a rare chance to impress.

“There are a lot of players who need minutes,” he said. “If you go through the squad there are lots of players who haven’t had minutes and they are going to need exposure, that’s for sure.

“We all trained today. The line up, we could not make it because there are still some players who are doubtful. So I will decide the best team to put out there.”

What the papers say

Brentford would be willing to let England striker Ivan Toney leave the club if their £60million valuation is met, the Sunday Mirror reports.

The same paper also states that Arsenal, Tottenham and West Ham are monitoring Paris St Germain winger Ousmane Dembele, despite the France international moving from Barcelona to Ligue 1 in the summer.

The Sunday Express reports that Delle Alli is still attracting significant interest, with Everton attempting to renegotiate terms for the 27-year-old former England midfielder’s transfer from Tottenham.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Aaron Ramsdale: The Arsenal and England goalkeeper is attracting interest from Chelsea and Bayern Munich but is in no rush to leave the Gunners.

Jota: The former Celtic forward may be reunited with Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham, despite only joining Al-Ittihad this summer.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin took a swipe at the Everton boo boys after marking his return from injury with a goal in the 3-1 win at Brentford.

The England striker was jeered by some fans after he went off with a fractured cheekbone during the 4-0 defeat at Aston Villa at the start of the season.

But he showed the Toffees what they have been missing by climbing off the bench to wrap up their first win of the season.

“Football is a funny old game,” Calvert-Lewin told Sky Sports.

“When I came off against Aston Villa my own fans booed me off. Today they cheered me. I’ll relish this and take the rest with a pinch of salt.”

James Tarkowski had headed the Toffees back into the lead against his old club after Mathias Jensen cancelled out Abdoulaye Doucoure’s opener before half-time.

Then Calvert-Lewin grabbed only his second goal since last October when he collected James Garner’s through-ball and slotted home.

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Boss Sean Dyche insisted a vastly improved display had been on the cards for a while despite picking up just one point from their first five matches.

He said: “I don’t think it came from  anywhere. The signs have been there but you have to change the storyline, you have to take your chances.

“To come in at 1-1 was a bit of a head-scratcher, so to come out in the second half and be so calm again was very pleasing.

“I’m very pleased with the whole performance. My job is to look at the performances, win or lose. We’ve deserved more but you’ve got to force it and today we did.

“We had a good chat in the week with the players and said it’s us who have to change the story.

“It’s tough playing well and not getting results. That’s where you should grow and have on-pitch maturity and play under pressure and that’s what we did today.”

The Bees, by contrast, were distinctly off-colour and are still without a win at home this season.

Boss Thomas Frank said: “It was a very bad day. Everton deserved to win, we performed badly.

“We performed very well in our first first five games, but today was a bad one.

“It was very unlike this group of fantastic players, but we are good at bouncing back from a bad performance and I expect us to bounce back.”

Dominic Calvert-Lewin climbed off the bench to kick-start Everton’s season in a 3-1 win at Brentford.

The England striker grabbed his first goal of the campaign to wrap up a first Premier League win for Sean Dyche’s side.

James Tarkowski had headed the Toffees back into the lead against his old club after Mathias Jensen cancelled out Abdoulaye Doucoure’s opener.

It was a vastly improved display by Everton, although the Bees were not at their best.

They were not helped by a late reshuffle after Kevin Schade limped off during the warm-up and was replaced by Keane Lewis-Potter.

Ashley Young immediately fell foul of a surging Lewis-Potter run, the 38-year-old’s tackle earning him a booking after just 38 seconds, the fastest of the season so far.

But Everton went ahead in the sixth minute after James Garner’s corner was initially cleared.

When the ball was laid back to Garner, the England under-21 midfielder swung in a cross towards Tarkowski.

The former Bees defender knocked the ball down and Doucoure lashed it home on the volley for what was only Everton’s third league goal of the season.

They should have been further ahead, but when Dwight McNeil raced on to Beto’s flick-on he dragged his effort just wide, before Doucoure crashed a shot against the crossbar.

Brentford were uncharacteristically giving the ball away at every opportunity, but when they finally managed to string a few passes together, they equalised.

Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa and then Vitaly Janelt fed the ball out to Jensen, who took a touch before lashing his shot across goal and in off the far post.

Everton almost hit the front again when Idrissa Gueye’s through-ball found Beto, who dinked it over the advancing Mark Flekken only to see it float the wrong side of the post.

Then Brentford missed a golden chance to go ahead after Gueye gave the ball away and Lewis-Potter just failed to convert Mbeumo’s cross-shot at the far post.

Dyche sent on Calvert-Lewin for Beto with half an hour to play, but it was Tarkowski who struck first with a towering header from McNeil’s corner.

There was no chance of a muted celebration from the centre-half, who was booed by the home fans throughout, as he gleefully ran off with his fingers in his ears.

Calvert-Lewin, who is finally fit again after a string of injuries, then grabbed only his second goal since last October when he collected Garner’s through-ball and slotted home to secure a much-needed victory.

What the papers say

Brentford striker Ivan Toney continues to be a hot property while he serves a ban over betting. Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham are all keen on a January move for the England international, 27, according to the Daily Mirror, with a likely asking fee of around £60million.

Reading youngsters Caylan Vickers and Tyler Bindon, both 18, are attracting interest from Arsenal. According to the Daily Express, scouts watched English forward Vickers and New Zealand defender Bindon in the EFL Trophy match against Exeter on Tuesday.

Arsenal are also keen on English forward Jamie Bynoe-Gittens at Borussia Dortmund, according to the Daily Star via Spanish outlet Fichajes.

Off the field, former Chelsea captain John Terry is looking at taking a financial stake in his old club. The Daily Telegraph reports Terry, 42, is part of a group keen on taking a 10% share in the Blues with co-owner Todd Boehly open to new investment.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Michail Antonio: The West Ham forward, 33, is reportedly keen on extending his stay at the club by signing a new contract.

David de Gea:
Valencia have joined La Liga rivals Real Betis in showing interest in the free agent former Manchester United goalkeeper, 32.

Fuming Brentford boss Thomas Frank is expecting an apology from referees’ chief Howard Webb after seeing his side slip to a controversial Premier League defeat at Newcastle.

The Bees went down 1-0 at St James’ Park on Saturday evening after Callum Wilson converted a second-half penalty awarded for a foul by keeper Mark Flekken on Anthony Gordon.

Frank said: “It’s so rare that I complain about it because it’s human beings who make mistakes and we all make mistakes so that happens. But it’s extra frustrating when we do so many things right and lose because of that.

“We just got told four weeks ago when Kevin Schade went through against Tottenham, where the keeper took him out, that no, he pulled out before, so it can’t be a penalty. Mark pulled out before, now a penalty.

“It’s not the ref who has given it but the linesman, and he needs to be absolutely bang-on, 100 per cent sure if you want to decide an even game between two teams that gave each other a fantastic game, in fact.

“That means that VAR have checked, but can’t do anything because it’s not a clear and obvious failure. I’m pretty sure that Howard Webb will come back to us and say ‘Sorry, we made a mistake’.”

The penalty – one of two awarded by Craig Pawson, although the second was rescinded after he was advised to review it – came minutes after Wilson had seen a “goal” disallowed for a foul on Flekken.

The England striker dispatched his 64th-minute spot-kick with supreme confidence to claim his 14th goal in his last 17 league appearances in the final game before Newcastle launch their Champions League campaign at AC Milan on Tuesday evening.

Wilson put pen to paper on a one-year contract extension on Friday and Howe, who first signed him for Bournemouth in July 2014, has seen him grow during the intervening period.

He said: “He’s gone from, when I first signed him, a Championship player to now an international, a Premier League player, a Champions League player.

“But his character is still the same. He laughs, he jokes, he’s positive, he’s kind. He’s a really good team-mate, he’s a parent and he’s a really good father to his kids and he’s a husband, so a lot has changed in his life, but I think the general character around the person is exactly the same.”

Howe, who confirmed that Brazilian midfielder Joelinton will miss the trip to San Siro with a recurrence of a knee injury which will keep him out for several weeks, was delighted to see his team end its three-game losing streak.

He said: “It was a massive win for us, we needed it. I don’t think it was us at our free-flowing best, but there was a lot to like about the resilience, the defensive mindset, the work rate, the commitment.

“It’s not always going to be an open, attractive game and today it probably wasn’t. Brentford made it very difficult for us, but we certainly defended very well and it was great to see us keep a clean sheet.”

Callum Wilson sent Newcastle into Champions League action on the back of a first Premier League win since the opening game of the season as they edged past Brentford at St James’ Park.

The England striker’s 64th-minute penalty proved enough to clinch the points for the Magpies, who had not won since they trounced Aston Villa 5-1 on August 12 and had since slipped to back-to-back defeats by Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton.

They will now head for Italy for their Champions League opener against AC Milan on Tuesday evening in positive mood after a victory which was achieved without the rested Sandro Tonali and Alexander Isak as head coach Eddie Howe used the depth of his squad.

The Bees will perhaps feel aggrieved at both the penalty decision and the fact that they gave at least as good as they got for long periods in front of a crowd of 51,670, although ultimately they were unable to trouble keeper Nick Pope often enough.

Brentford started brightly with Aaron Hickey and Mathias Jensen combining well down the right, and it took a good near-post save by Pope to keep out Hickey’s fourth-minute attempt from a tight angle after he had been played in by Jensen.

Newcastle enjoyed an escape when Yoane Wissa was unable to make contact with Jensen’s teasing cross as he slid in, but it was the Magpies who very nearly took the lead with 28 minutes gone.

After Fabian Schar’s long-range attempt had been deflected behind, Sven Botman got his head to Kieran Trippier’s corner and flicked the ball to the back post where Bruno Guimaraes saw his close-range effort repelled by keeper Mark Flekken.

Howe’s men, who had been methodical rather than dynamic to that point, were coming to life and Brentford’s problems increased when Rico Henry limped off with what appeared to be a knee injury and was replaced by Mads Roerslev.

Schar had to block a stoppage-time Wissa shot after he had been played in down the left by Vitaly Janelt, but there was nothing to choose between the sides when the half-time whistle sounded.

The second half unfolded much as the first had ended, with Newcastle enjoying the greater share of possession but unable to move the ball quickly or decisively enough to pierce the massed ranks of blue shirts. Brentford were playing on the counter but lacking precision when it mattered.

Schar and Harvey Barnes delivered menacing crosses in quick succession, but neither was able to pick out a team-mate, and although the Magpies did have the ball in the net with 57 minutes gone, referee Craig Pawson disallowed Wilson’s close-range finish for a foul on Flekken during the build-up.

However, they finally forced their way in front seven minutes later with Flekken and Wilson once again the central characters in the drama.

The Netherlands international keeper’s clumsy challenge on Anthony Gordon as full-back Hickey attempted to shield the ball back to him was adjudged by Pawson to be worthy of a penalty.

Wilson, who was made to wait before taking the spot-kick, did not waver as he blasted it high to Flekken’s left to open the scoring.

He thought he had been handed a chance to repeat the dose with 11 minutes remaining when Pawson pointed to the spot for a second time after Barnes’ header had hit the unwitting Bryan Mbeumo’s arm but after being asked to review his decision, the official changed his mind – although Newcastle eased across the finishing line with few real scares.

Thomas Frank credited his “fantastic” Brentford side after Bryan Mbeumo’s late equaliser against Bournemouth earned a 2-2 draw in the Premier League.

Mbeumo’s fourth of the season cancelled out goals from Dominic Solanke and David Brooks after Mathias Jensen took the lead for Brentford in the first half.

And Frank praised his team’s second-half display which saw them extend their unbeaten start to the season.

“First half we were good but second half we were fantastic,” Frank said. “I think we ran over Bournemouth in the second half and we created chance after chance.

“I would love to have 10 points (Brentford have six) and I think we could easily say we deserve to have more, but it’s up to others to discuss if we should have eight or 10.

“I think we had a chance to win all three draws at home (Tottenham, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth), the Tottenham and Crystal Palace games were tight but it was clear we should have won them and we have to keep going.”

Cherries boss Andoni Iraola admitted Brentford’s late goal hurt as his side searched for their first win of the season.

And the Spaniard revealed his side rued a series of mistakes which led to Mbeumo’s goal.

“The worst thing for us is the way we concede the goal,” Iraola added.

“It comes from our own goal-kick and we made two or three mistakes because we were probably not at our best but we have have to know how to finish the games because we had run a lot and (played) good stretches of football.

“To lose it in this way hurts.

“In set-pieces they have very good players and we needed maximum help in the duels and the crosses we received in the last minutes but it didn’t work as we conceded the second goal.

Iraola highlighted that Bournemouth suffered out of possession in the lead up to the final goal.

He said: “The game was a little bit territorial and the advantage was very important because we were suffering when they were playing in our half and they had set-pieces like corners, free-kicks.

“Whenever the game was in their half I think we were playing better, we were more in control of the situation and so at the end they had nothing to lose and put more bodies up front and closed with three defenders.

“We tried to defend the long balls, crosses and throw ins better because sometimes you have to suffer to win the games and be compact.”

An added-time goal from Bryan Mbeumo gave Brentford a 2-2 draw against Bournemouth in the Premier League.

An early goal from Mathias Jansen was cancelled out by the visitors’ Dominic Solanke and David Brooks, before Mbeumo struck at the end to give Thomas Frank’s men a point.

Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth picked up their first away point of the season but will feel hard done by after a positive display at Gtech Community Stadium.

Brentford piled on the pressure early on and Cherries goalkeeper Neto rushed out of his box and brought down last week’s scorer Kevin Schade to give the hosts an opportunity from a free-kick.

And the hosts converted their opportunity and took a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute. Jensen looked set to cross the ball into the box but his quick thinking saw the Dane shoot at Neto’s near post, the Brazilian scrambled in an attempt to keep out the effort but VAR ruled the ball had crossed the line.

The Cherries sought a leveller through Ryan Christie in the 18th minute. The Scot slalomed his way through red and white shirts but his run was bizarrely intercepted by team-mate Solanke before he could test Mark Flekken from yards out.

And, testament to Frank’s fast-paced football, Brentford instantly responded through Vitaly Janelt who picked out  Schade, who was only prevented from doubling the lead by a post.

The end-to-end nature of the game continued in the 30th minute as the Cherries levelled through Solanke.

Marcos Senesi returned to Iraola’s starting XI and the Argentinian’s curved through-ball found the composed Solanke, who beat his marker before finishing in front of the away fans.

Frank’s decision to proceed with a back-four for a third consecutive league game paid dividends as midfielders Jensen, Janelt and Christian Norgaard held the lion’s share of first-half possession in a frantic match.

The hosts were quick out of the traps in the second half when Rico Henry gambled on the loose ball and expertly picked out the dangerous Mbeumo, who fluffed a golden chance to retake the lead when he shanked his effort wide.

Henry started a similar move in the 59th minute but Yoane Wissa’s missed shot was a reminder of how much Brentford needed the suspended Ivan Toney, on a day when they were starting to rue missed chances as Bournemouth gained momentum.

Flying full-back Henry’s 74th-minute corner found the head of Norgaard, who forced a stretched save from Neto.

Henry’s loose backpass was cruelly intercepted by the visitors three minutes later and, after some neat play in the area, Brooks scored for a second successive game to give Bournemouth a 2-1 advantage.

The home crowd demanded a response and they got it in added time through winger Mbeumo, who was the first to react to Nathan Collins’ long ball, earning the hosts a point.

Brentford boss Thomas Frank paid tribute to debutant goalkeeper Ellery Balcombe after his two spot-kick saves ensured the Bees edged past Newport 3-0 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Rodney Parade.

Mathias Jensen thought he had won the Carabao Cup tie for the visitors in the 88th minute but teenage substitute Kiban Rai headed home deep into stoppage time for the hosts to take the game to spot-kicks.

Adam Lewis then hit a post with Newport’s first effort, before Balcombe saved from Nathan Wood and Bryn Morris, and Keane Lewis-Potter settled the contest in the Premier League side’s favour.

“Our debut goalkeeper made fantastic saves in the shoot-out,” said Frank.

“He’s been at the club since he was eight years old and it’s a fantastic story for him to make a debut like this with his family watching in the stadium.

“We want to go far in the cup competitions, and you need to get the job done. We did that in the end.”

Frank praised League Two County for their dogged display.

“It’s all about getting through,” added the Dane, who was forced into bringing on Jensen, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa after an hour.

“Of course, we’d have loved to come here and win 3-0 but it’s never easy.

“I had to bring on three more experienced guys. It’s always a balance. You want to play some of the ones who don’t play so much. With all due respect, that should be enough to win the game. But we just made it right in the end.

“Big credit to Newport, I think they defended very well. They put a lot of effort into it and made it very difficult for us.

“I could definitely see why they have created upsets in the past, and they’ve had a decent start to the season with three wins in the first five. I see them having a very good season.”

Exiles manager Graham Coughlan had mixed emotions after a fantastic effort from his players.

Midfielder Harry Charsley typified their performance, heading off the line to deny Lewis-Potter early on before heading just wide at the other end from an Omar Bogle cross.

“I am proud of the lads. They will get all of the plaudits and pats on backs they deserve but, at the end of the day, you want to win football matches,” he said.

“We were very good but that didn’t get us through to the next round and we want to be winners and to be successful.

“We had probably the best chance of the game with Harry Charsley stealing into the six-yard box.

“When you play the big boys, you need those moments and slices of luck.”

Brentford avoided becoming Newport’s latest cup victims as they won 3-0 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Rodney Parade.

Adam Lewis hit a post with Newport’s first effort, before Nathan Wood and Bryn Morris both saw theirs saved by Bees debutant Ellery Balcombe, and Keane Lewis-Potter settled the contest in the Premier League side’s favour.

Mathias Jensen thought he had won it in the 88th minute but teenage substitute Kiban Rai headed home deep into stoppage time to take the tie to spot-kicks.

The Welsh side have earned shock wins over Leeds, Leicester, Middlesbrough, Swansea, Watford and Luton in the last five years but they were denied another scalp as Brentford avoided a repeat of last year’s shoot-out defeat to Gillingham.

Exiles boss Graham Coughlan made five changes from Saturday’s 3-1 home win over Sutton.

Jonny Maxted made his debut in goal, while Josh Seberry came into the back line, Matty Bondswell and James Waite were drafted into midfield and fit-again Omar Bogle started up front.

Brentford made nine changes, with Vitaly Janelt and goalscorer Kevin Schade the only survivors from their weekend draw against Crystal Palace.

Thomas Frank handed debuts to goalkeeper Balcombe, Ukrainian midfielder Yehor Yarmoliuk and teenage forward Michael Olakigbe.

The first opportunity arrived after 18 minutes as the visitors recycled a corner and Lewis-Potter’s header looped over Maxted, but Harry Charsley was in the right place to clear the danger from under his own crossbar.

Kristoffer Ajer then saw a side-footed effort from 25 yards comfortably saved by Maxted two minutes later, before Schade’s fierce drive from the edge of the area was deflected behind.

That was one of eight corners won by Brentford in the first half but, despite enjoying 76 per cent possession, they could not get the early goal.

The home side could have opened the scoring after 34 minutes when Aaron Wildig and Bogle linked up well down the left flank and the striker produced a clever cross to pick out Charsley, who placed his header just wide of Balcombe’s right-hand post.

The lively Olakigbe went closest in the opening stages of the second half with a fizzing effort just over the angle of post and bar.

But Frank had seen enough after an hour and he introduced experienced trio Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa and Jensen.

Mbeumo forced Maxted into a smart save almost immediately.

Jensen made the visitors’ pressure tell two minutes from the end of normal time as he tapped in from close range after Mbeumo’s cross was cut back across goal by Lewis-Potter.

But County refused to lie down and Rai’s added-time header ensured the tie went the distance.

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson hailed Joachim Andersen’s “colossus” performance after the Dane’s late equaliser secured a 1-1 draw against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Kevin Schade’s stunning opener was cancelled out by Andersen in the 76th minute as both Brentford and Palace shared the spoils for a fifth consecutive time in the Premier League.

Hodgson lauded the centre-back’s overall performance which nullified the threat of Brentford duo Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo, who both fired blanks for the first time this season.

“I thought Joachim Andersen was the outstanding player today in our team and maybe the outstanding player on the field,” Hodgson said.

“I thought he was a colossus today, he won every header in both ends of the field and I thought he won every challenge he went into, he was a leader figure and he drove the team forward.

“He wasn’t afraid to come more than midway into the opponent’s half as we saw and he was playing balls and spraying it around from about 25 yards from goal and that was a great responsibility that he took there.

“I think it was very fitting that he got the goal even though it wasn’t a classic.”

For the first time this season Brentford appeared lost without focal point Ivan Toney, who is suspended, as they struggled to look threatening in the final third.

Frank highlighted his frustration at his side’s attacking performance and credited Hodgson’s Palace for their defensive efforts.

“No ( I wasn’t happy with the amount of Brentford chances) but I am not surprised,” Frank added.

“For whatever reason and I can’t figure it out, the two teams (Brentford and Palace) cancel each other out more or less in these games.

“In five games we’ve played them the amount of chances the two sides have created are very limited and I would have loved to have taken more.

“I think in the half opening transitions we lacked the final pass action to create more and we should’ve won 1-0 which is so frustrating.”

Schade’s 18th-minute goal was his first for Brentford since his switch in January and Frank talked up the winger’s qualities.

“I am so pleased for him, it’s so important for the confidence and what a goal it was,” Frank said.

“I loved his initiative to run at the opponent where he got all the way into the box and was composed before a fantastic finish so hopefully he can do more of those nice goals.”

Joachim Andersen’s equaliser secured Crystal Palace a 1-1 draw against unbeaten Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.

A first-half stunner from Kevin Schade gave the Bees an early lead before Andersen levelled in the 76th minute.

After a dominant 3-0 win away at Fulham last week, Thomas Frank’s men failed to put the game to bed which allowed the Eagles to claim a point in west London.

After a quiet start from both sides, Palace burst into life through the creative Eberechi Eze. The midfielder, recently linked with a move to Manchester City, hustled to win back the ball before feeding the marauding Odsonne Edouard who was dispossessed before testing Mark Flekken.

But it was the Bees who struck first in the 18th minute.

Schade picked up the ball on the left hand side before driving at the Palace backline and producing a spectacular curled strike into Sam Johnstone’s top-left corner, recording his first goal for the club.

Not long after, the heavens opened and the greasy surface favoured the elegant Mathias Jansen who sprayed the ball into attacking areas before a 38th-minute header from Yoane Wissa sailed over the bar.

Palace had looked flat all game and it was clear their only hope was through the dangerous Eze, who after 54 minutes slalomed his way through a wall of home defenders before being denied a penalty by referee Peter Bankes when he was brought down.

Soon after Edouard’s dipping free-kick tested Flekken, who was forced to make a stretched save to deny the striker.

And the Dutch keeper’s heroics continued in the following sequence when he denied Jefferson Lerma’s header from close range before Brentford scrambled to block Jordan Ayew’s rebound.

Palace’s persistence was rewarded 14 minutes from time.

Andersen played a one-two with Ayew before driving into the box where he beat Flekken to the ball with his sliding effort.

Brentford searched for a winner during five minutes added time but the Bees struggled to find the final pass.

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