Jones subjected to 'sacked in the morning' chants in Brentford defeat

The result – the same that ultimately began the downfall of former manager Ralph Hasenhuttl here in May last year – condemned Saints to a fifth Premier League defeat in six since Boxing Day.

The St Mary’s side had spells where they looked like posting a goal themselves, but headers from Ben Mee and Mathias Jensen sandwiched Bryan Mbeumo’s one-touch finish.

It leaves Saints rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table on the same day relegation rivals Everton and Wolves beat Arsenal and Liverpool respectively.

Jones brought a squad that did not include Duje Caleta-Car, Mislav Orsic, Moussa Djenepo and Armel Bella-Kotchap, after their B team appearance on Friday, to the Brentford Community Stadium.

That means Jan Bednarek and Mohammed Salisu – the same pairing for May’s disastrous 3-0 defeat at this stadium under Hasenhuttl – were in central defence.

New signings Paul Onuachu and Kamaldeen Sulemana were on the bench, while the Bees still had the mightily impressive Ivan Toney at their disposal.

But it was Yoanne Wissa who was causing a lot of problems in a comfortable first-half for the hosts, taking the ball round Gavin Bazunu but hitting the crossbar.

Toney then had a dangerous shot blocked in the area while Saints’ first sight came through James Ward-Prowse, but he seemed to opt to square instead of shoot in a good area.

Brentford took the lead just over half-an-hour into the game via Mee’s powerful header, getting a run and leap on Mohammed Salisu – who had been decent beforehand but took a hefty blow in this exchange.

No sooner had the physios disappeared and play restarted before Brentford compiled the visitors’ misery, Wissa squaring for Mbeumo to put a second goal inbetween the sides.

The manager responded at half-time with a double change and introduced Onuachu and Kamaldeen for their club debuts, in a deliberate attempt to give Brentford at least something to worry about.

It saw an immediate response with Saints now finding space in and around the area, as Samuel Edozie was denied by a late tackle and Ward-Prowse fired over.

Kamaldeen was visibly direct in his play, prompting ‘we’ve had a shot’ from the away fans when he stung David Raya’s palms, while Onuachu’s six-foot seven-inch frame prompted change in Romain Perraud’s style.

But they had still not cut the deficit when Jones made two more changes – Theo Walcott and Charly Alcaraz replacing Romeo Lavia and Edozie – which prompted chants of ‘don’t know what you’re doing,’ from his own fans, and ‘sacked in the morning,’ from the Brentford ranks.

Salisu was called on again to prevent the Bees attack from scoring, somehow denying Toney with a goalline clearance after the forward had time to swivel and shoot in the area.

Substitute Walcott saw two golden chances blocked and saved, stabbing at a follow-up from a Ward-Prowse cross before attempting to lift over an onrushing Raya and hitting the Spaniard, while Adams missed the headed rebound.

Brentford put paid to any potential comeback with yet another headed goal, as Mbeumo crossed into the back-post for Jensen to climb and power beyond Bazunu.

The Saints fans this time took their turn to sing ‘sacked in the morning,’ with the loudest chorus of the afternoon coming out of that isolated corner.

Brentford: Raya; Hickey (Janelt, 60), Pinnock, Mee, Henry; Norgaard, Jensen (Damsgaard, 82), Dasilva (Roerslev, 60); Wissa (Schade, 74), Mbeumo (Zanka, 82), Toney.

Unused subs: Ghoddos, Ajer, Lewis-Potter, Cox (g/k).

Booked: Toney.

Saints: Bazunu; Bree, Bednarek, Salisu, Perraud; Diallo (Kamaldeen, h-t), Lavia (Alcaraz, 64), Ward-Prowse; Elyounoussi (Onuachu, h-t), Edozie (Walcott, 64), Adams (A Armstrong, 81).

Unused subs: Maitland-Niles, Lyanco, Aribo, Caballero (g/k).

Booked: Lavia, Salisu.

Referee: Darren Bond.

VAR: Mike Dean.

Attendance: 17,051.

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