Championship

Championship Top Five, Round 30: Benrahma the best for Brentford

The Algerian was in cracking form for the Bees, scoring a hat-trick against Hull

 
3:45pm on Monday 3rd February 2020
By
Martin Macdonald
Saïd Benrahma
AM, W (L) - Brentford - 24 yrs
MAN OF THE MATCH
90'
10
Feb 1, 2020

Said Benrahma played a part in no less than four of Brentford's goals in the 5-1 demolition of Hull.

Three of the goals came via him directly, as he earned his hat-trick with a curled effort from the edge of the box which nestled into the bottom corner, an emphatic finish from inside the box, and then a composed strike into the roof of the net after the ball broke kindly to him at the back post.

He was a menace all afternoon, as it was also his dangerous, teasing cross into the box from the right-hand side which led to the own goal from Reece Burke.

The Algerian had 15 touches inside the opposition box which was more than anyone else in the Championship in this round of fixtures. He worked hard, too, though, winning 9/12 duels for the Bees.

Dominic Iorfa
D (CR) - Sheffield Wed - 24 yrs
MAN OF THE MATCH
90'
9.2
Feb 1, 2020

It may have been a drab affair as Sheffield Wednesday drew 0-0 at home with Millwall, but Dominic Iorfa did his defensive duties superbly to ensure the clean sheet was kept for the hosts.

He won a huge 15/28 duels and 4/5 tackles, while he also made eight ball recoveries and seven ball recoveries.

Even though no goal was scored, he proved himself a danger at the other end of the pitch, too, sending two shots on goal and 10 long balls forward.

Emile Smith-Rowe
AM (R) - Huddersfield - 19 yrs
MAN OF THE MATCH
89'
9.0
Feb 1, 2020

Huddersfield may have been on the losing side against Fulham, but Emile Smith-Rowe did everything in his power to get his team back into contention at Craven Cottage after they went 3-0 down.

It was his goal which provided a ray of hope for the visitors as he smuggled a finish into the bottom corner to make it 3-1. Then, he turned provider after collecting possession to the right-hand side of the box to whip a perfect cross to the back post for Steve Mounie to score.

Remarkably, he misplaced just two passes in his 89 minutes on the field of play, with 12 of them being successfully sent into the final third.

Famara Diédhiou
S (C) - Bristol City - 27 yrs
MAN OF THE MATCH
90'
8.4
Feb 1, 2020

Bristol City's excellent recent run continued as they made it four wins on the bounce with a narrow 1-0 victory versus QPR.

Famara Diedhiou emerged as the match winner, scoring the only goal of the game, and in brilliant fashion too as he held his position at the back post to latch on to a deep cross with a commanding diving header which looped up and over the keeper into the far corner.

He was a handful all afternoon for the home defence, winning 16/29 duels and 6/12 aerial duels, while he enjoyed 11 touches inside the opposition box.

Sean Morrison
D (C) - Cardiff - 29 yrs
MAN OF THE MATCH
90'
8.0
Jan 31, 2020

Like Iorfa above, Sean Morrison wasn't on a winning side as Cardiff drew 1-1 at home to Reading, but he at least made sure his team didn't lose as he was solid at the back all day.

He won a hugely impressive 21/25 duels and 18/21 aerial duels which was more than anyone in the league this weekend...for both stats.

The 29-year-old also won 100% of his tackles, and made five ball recoveries, three interceptions, and nine clearances.

HONOURABLE MENTION

Derby put four past Stoke in a 4-0 win, with the man of the match proving to be Wayne Rooney (7.9), who assisted the final goal as well as scoring one of his own - a superb free-kick sent into the top corner.

ROUND TO FORGET

It was an awful day for Hull City's Reece Burke (4.2), as not only was he part of the team that conceded five, but one of them was his, slightly comical, own goal which was headed into the net of the home side.

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