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More than the midpoint of the campaign, Brentford are in a dream scenario.

With four wins in their last five outings, and a Samba striker netting the goals, suddenly supporters are dreaming of thoughts of trips to Milan, Munich and Barcelona next season.

A comprehensive 3-0 win over Sunderland moved their manager's side into fifth in the top flight – a position that was sufficient to secure Champions League football last season.

Solely table-toppers Arsenal have gathered more points over the past half-dozen matches.

There's a significant distance to go yet but Brentford are firmly in the fight for continental football.

Few was predicting this last off-season.

The former head coach had left for Spurs after a seven-year stint in charge, a period in which he had not only got the club promoted but also established 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 the previous campaign – were also sold, joining United and Newcastle respectively.

Set-piece coach Andrews was elevated to succeed the Dane, while there was no striker among the summer signings.

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

So, what is behind their success?

Igor Thiago's Record-breaking Season

Brentford's decision not to bring in another striker was in part down to timing, with one forward's move not being finalized until the final day of the window.

But they also were aware 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 hindered by injury in his debut campaign, going goalless in his initial outings.

Thiago has gone about making up for lost time this season, though, with his double against Sunderland taking him to 16 league goals – the highest tally by a player from Brazil in a single Premier League campaign.

Given the countrymen who have preceded him, that is a remarkable feat, especially with 17 games remaining.

"He's been a breath of fresh air," pundit an analyst said. "He is a physical specimen, fast, strong, but more skilled than people think. Excellent with his feet, either foot, he can score with 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 a trio of global superstars have scored more in any of the continent's major leagues to this point underscores the standard he is playing at.

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

His first goal against the opposition was his seventh opener of the season. Considering how often we are told the significance of the initial strike in a game, having someone you can rely on to take that first big chance cannot be underestimated.

Prior to the game against Sunderland, no player to have attempted at least thirty efforts this season has a better shooting accuracy than Igor Thiago's 59.1 percent.

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

Given the hardships he had in his youth, where he labored in construction to support his family following the death of his father, perhaps it should be no surprise that high-stakes situations on the pitch is something he takes in his stride.

"Our scouts deserve a lot of credit for the type of players they bring in and characters," the manager said. "It is really impressive. He is a really special person who has fitted into life very well. He has had to forge this path. He has earned his journey and grafted. He has got serious grit about his personality. He is developing his skill set constantly and we are discovering more and more about him. He is a pretty all-round centre-forward."

The Manager Showing Sceptics Incorrect

Their star striker is the headline act but the team are not and have never been a one-man band.

While they had key individuals – Ivan Toney, Christian Eriksen, Mbeumo and Wissa – under Frank, they were always seen as a team stronger than the individual components.

The concern was that once the Dane left, that may not be the case, and that the sum of their parts alone might not be enough to stay up.

As a result, appointing Andrews, with no previous managerial experience, and just a twelve months at the club was seen by those outside the club as a huge risk.

A maiden role is a challenge 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 confident they had the right man.

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 a single of his first five league games in charge but big home victories against United, the Reds and the Magpies have followed.

Wins that, following their brilliant recent form, could prove all the more important in the race for Europe.

"We are in good form and playing really well. We are playing with courage and belief in everything we do with and without the ball," he added. "We are pleased with how we are going but we want to keep improving."

In a league where fourth and 15th are currently separated by just a handful of points, they have no other option, because things could quickly look very otherwise.

But, for now, The Bees are defying the odds. And the longer that lasts, the closer to reality those aspirations of the continent will become.