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More than halfway through the campaign, Brentford find themselves in fantasy land.

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

A convincing three-nil win over Sunderland moved Keith Andrews' side into the fifth spot in the Premier League – a position that was sufficient to secure European football last term.

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

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

No one was predicting this last off-season.

Thomas Frank had left for Tottenham after a seven-year stint in charge, a period in which he had not only got the club promoted but also cemented them in the elite division.

Club captain their Danish midfielder left for Arsenal and attacking duo two key forwards – who scored a total of thirty-nine goals in 2024-25 – were out the door, joining United and Newcastle respectively.

Specialist coach Keith Andrews was elevated to replace the Dane, while there was no striker among the summer signings.

A season of difficulty, possibly even the drop, was forecast. But here we are in January with Brentford in the top five.

So, what is behind their success?

The Brazilian's Record-breaking Campaign

Brentford's decision not to bring in another striker was in part down to timing, with Wissa's move not going through until the final day of the window.

But they also knew they had a £30m striker already ready and waiting.

Igor Thiago joined from Club Brugge in July 2024 for a then club record fee, but was plagued by fitness issues in his first campaign, going goalless in eight appearances.

The 24-year-old has set about making up for lost time this season, though, with his brace against the Wearside club taking him to sixteen league goals – the most by a Brazilian in a single English top-flight campaign.

Considering the fellow Brazilians who have preceded him, that is a remarkable feat, especially with 17 games left to play.

"He has been a breath of fresh air," former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy said. "He is a physical specimen, fast, strong, but technically better than people think. Excellent with his feet, both feet, he can score off both. You can see he's brimming with confidence. His statistics are incredible. He must be so pleased. That's a big compliment to him."

That only Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe have scored more in any of Europe's top five leagues to this point highlights the level he is operating at.

And it is not just the volume but the crucial nature of the goals that have been so important for Brentford.

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

Before 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%.

He hits the target. Achieve that often enough and the goals will – and have – come.

Considering the struggles he had in his youth, where he worked as a bricklayer to provide for his family following the death of his father, perhaps it should be unsurprising that pressure on the pitch is something he handles with ease.

"The recruitment team deserve a lot of praise for the kind of players they bring in and personalities," Andrews said. "It is really notable. He is a really special person who has adapted to life very well. He has had to forge this path. He has worked for his journey and toiled. He has got serious grit about his personality. He is developing his skill set constantly and we are learning more and more about him. He is a pretty all-round centre-forward."

The Manager Showing Sceptics Incorrect

Igor Thiago is the headline act but Brentford are not and have never been a one-man band.

While they had star players – Ivan Toney, Christian Eriksen, Mbeumo and Wissa – under their previous boss, they were always seen as a team more effective than the individual components.

The concern was that once the manager left, that may not be the case, and that the sum of Brentford's parts alone might not be enough to stay up.

Consequently, appointing their set-piece coach, with no previous managerial experience, and just a twelve months at the club was seen by those external observers as a huge risk.

A maiden role is a test for anyone, let alone when it comes in the world's toughest league and having made the jump from specialist coach to the top job.

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

To date, as often seems to be the case with the key decision makers at the club, it looks as if they were spot on.

The new boss won just one of his first 5 league games in charge but significant home victories against Manchester United, the Reds and Newcastle have followed.

Results that, following their brilliant recent run, could prove increasingly important in the pursuit for Europe.

"We're in good form and playing really good. We are playing with bravery and belief in everything we do with or without the ball," he added. "We are pleased with how we are going but we want to keep striving."

In a league where fourth and 15th are currently separated by just a handful of points, they have little choice, because things could rapidly look very otherwise.

But, for now, The Bees are defying the predictions. And the longer that lasts, the closer to reality those dreams of Europe will become.