Keith Andrews admitted Igor Thiago was not happy about being substituted after his record-breaking display in the 3-0 win over Sunderland.
Thiago scored twice to keep Brentford’s unlikely European push on track and become the top-scoring Brazilian in a Premier League season.
The 24-year-old striker notched his 15th and 16th goals of a sparkling campaign, taking him past the season’s-best tallies of countrymen Roberto Firmino, Gabriel Martinelli and Matheus Cunha.
But Thiago was on back-to-back hat-tricks, after his treble at Everton on Sunday, when Andrews took him off.
“He’s precious to us,” said the Bees boss. “So, when he took a knock, it was always in my mind to look after him and take the edge off the full game.
“But when he’s on two goals, I know what way he’s wired, so that was always a difficult dilemma.
“I had to just make that decision, which obviously wasn’t entirely popular with him.”
Thiago was signed for £30million from Club Bruges in the summer of 2024, only to be ruled out of his entire first season through injury.
“I think anybody that thought he would have been this good is probably not being honest,” added Andrews.
“Because I don’t know how many have come from the Bulgarian League to the Belgian League, had a year out injured and then affected the league like this.
“He’s been sensational. I wouldn’t be swapping him for anybody.”
Yehor Yarmoliuk added a third to sink Sunderland, who were left to rue Enzo Le Fee making a mess of a Panenka penalty when he could have made it 1-1.
“Very impressive performance overall,” said Andrews. “No one comes here to get an easy game. I want us to play with a relentless edge that makes them feel uncomfortable.”
Brentford were leading at half-time after Thiago rounded Black Cats goalkeeper Robin Roefs.
But Sunderland were gifted a route back into the match in the 57th minute when Kristoffer Ajer clumsily bundled over Brian Brobbey in the area.
However, Le Fee’s misplaced confidence saw him chip the ball straight into the arms of Bees keeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
Kelleher is something of a penalty-saving specialist, having saved efforts from the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe in the past.
But he did not have to move a muscle to stop this one, merely standing in the centre of his goal to take a dolly of a catch.
Le Fee’s embarrassment was complete moments later when Kevin Schade’s shot came back off the crossbar and Mathias Jensen lifted the ball back to the far post.
Schade headed it across goal where Thiago was on hand to tuck away his record-breaking goal, before Yarmoliuk lashed in the third.
“Brentford were good, it’s a tough place to come, they are strong, direct and relentless,” said Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris.
“We had the opportunity to get back in the game but when you miss this kind of opportunity it’s like a switch in the game. The energy of the crowd got bigger and we lost ours.”
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