Analysis: Wissa the star in Brentford's Crystal Palace win

Clinical Brentford won their first game of the 2024/25 Premier League season with a narrow victory over Crystal Palace at Gtech Community Shield.

Bryan Mbeumo gave the Bees the lead in the 29th minute when he received the ball from Yoane Wissa, drove at the defence, cut inside to his trusty left peg, and dispatched his effort past Dean Henderson.

That goal came from Brentford's first attempt and was Mbeumo's only shot of the game as the Bees made the most of their best moments.

Wissa has joked that Mbeumo is "jealous of me sometimes" when talking about the pair's connection on and off the pitch - although Wissa may well be jealous of Mbeumo's finish for the opener!

Brentford went into half-time with the lead until Ethan Pinnock suffered some bad luck as he diverted the ball into his own net in the 56th minute, but the Bees eventually sealed all three points 20 minutes later through Wissa.

The forward showed a poacher's instinct to make sure he was in the right place to take advantage of Dean Henderson's save from Nathan Collins' effort - an attempt that had an xG of 0.85.

It wasn't the prettiest of goals but it made the difference and ensured Thomas Frank's side got off to a winning start.

"A win is always important, in every aspect," Frank said after the final whistle, admitting it was a tough game between two close sides.

While Palace edged some of the numbers - including being slightly ahead in possession (54 per cent) and total shots (14 to Brentford's nine) - it was Brentford's attacking line that ultimately made the difference.

Wissa was very much the star with his goal and assist. That goal came from Wissa's second effort of the game, with Pinnock and Vitaly Janelt the other Brentford players to register two attempts.

The DR Congo international shouldered much of the goalscoring burden last year in the absence of Ivan Toney, finishing the season as the club's top scorer with 12 league goals in 34 Premier League appearances, including five in his last seven games of the 2023/24 campaign.

Without Toney again this weekend, Wissa was on hand to make the difference while also winning his only aerial dual of the game

Wissa also finished the game with 85 per cent pass succession, with only Collins (88 per cent) and Janelt (93 per cent) the only starters on Sunday who were more accurate. It was a higher number than any of Palace's starting forwards as well.

The 27-year-old was one of five players to register two goal involvements in the Premier League this weekend alongside Kai Havertz, Danny Welbeck, Bukayo Saka, and Mohamed Salah - with the latter likely to face the Bees as Brentford travel to Anfield next Sunday.