Ivan Toney hat-trick helps Brentford cruise to victory over Leeds

How quickly things can change in football. Only 104 days since Jesse Marsch was revelling in the glory of a final day escape in this corner of west London, Ivan Toney ensured this was an afternoon to forget for the Leeds manager.

Toney’s brilliant hat-trick that comprised a penalty, a superb free-kick and an audacious chip blew Leeds away before Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa wrapped up the points despite consolation goals from Luis Sinisterra and Marc Roca. To compound Marsch’s frustration, the American was also sent to the stands for protesting.

“I’ve got to figure out how to have discussion with the league to help understand how some decisions are made,” Marsch said. “But we didn’t defend well and we need to learn from these situations.”

It was all very different from when Jack Harrison’s injury-time goal saved Leeds from relegation on a nerve-shredding afternoon in May, with the all-action Toney offering Gareth Southgate, the England manager, a timely reminder of his qualities.

“He missed the last one so he still has room to improve,” said a joking Thomas Frank. “But off the top of my head there is not a better striker on form at the moment after Harry Kane. In my opinion he is the best penalty taker in the world – England have been in a few penalty shootouts so if they want to win one they had better pick him.”

Despite the obvious qualities of Toney, however, the 3-0 win over Chelsea a fortnight ago must already feel like a lifetime ago for Marsch after this lacklustre display. There was an air of inevitability about the result from the moment Brentford had a case to be awarded two penalties when a long throw caused chaos in their box midway through the first half. The ball first appeared to strike Pascal Struijk’s