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More than halfway through the campaign, Brentford are in fantasy land.

Following victories in five games, and a Brazilian striker scoring the goals, suddenly supporters are envisioning thoughts of trips to Milan, Munich and Barcelona next season.

A emphatic 3-0 win over the Black Cats moved Keith Andrews' side into fifth in the Premier League – a position that was sufficient to secure European football last season.

Only table-toppers the Gunners have gathered more points over the past six games.

There is a long way to go yet but the West London outfit are firmly in the race for European football.

No one was envisioning this last off-season.

Thomas Frank had left for Spurs after seven years in charge, a period in which he had not only got the club to the Premier League but also cemented them in the elite division.

Club captain Christian Norgaard left for Arsenal and goal-scoring duo two key forwards – who scored a total of 39 goals in 2024-25 – were out the door, joining United and Newcastle United respectively.

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

A year of struggle, possibly even the drop, was widely predicted. But here we are in January with the club in the top five.

So, what is behind their success?

The Brazilian's Record-breaking Campaign

The club's decision not to bring in another striker was partly down to circumstance, with one forward's move not being finalized until the final day of the window.

But they also were aware they had a £30 million striker already ready and waiting.

The 24-year-old joined from Belgium in July 2024 for a then-record fee, but was hindered by injury in his first 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 sixteen league goals – the most by a Brazilian in a single English top-flight campaign.

Considering the countrymen who have come before him, that is a remarkable feat, especially with seventeen matches left to play.

"He has been a revelation," former Liverpool midfielder an analyst said. "He's a physical specimen, fast, strong, but more skilled than people think. Good with his feet, both feet, he can score off both. You can see he's brimming with confidence. His statistics are fantastic. He must be so pleased. That's a huge compliment to him."

That only a trio of global superstars have scored more in any of the continent's major leagues to this point highlights the standard he is operating at.

And it is not just the quantity but the timing of the goals that have been so pivotal for his team.

His opener against the opposition was his 7th opener of the season. Considering how often we are told the importance of the initial strike in a game, having someone you can rely on to take that first big chance cannot be underestimated.

Before the game against Sunderland, no player to have attempted at least thirty efforts this season has a better shot accuracy rate than the striker's 59.1%.

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

Considering the hardships he had in his youth, where he worked as a bricklayer to provide for his family following the death of his father, perhaps it should be no surprise that pressure 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. "This is really notable. He is a really unique person who has adapted to life very well. He has had to earn this path. He has worked for his journey and toiled. He has got serious grit about his personality. He is developing his abilities constantly and we are discovering more and more about him. He is a largely complete centre-forward."

Andrews Showing Sceptics Incorrect

Igor Thiago is the headline act but Brentford are not and have never been a single-player team.

While they had star players – a host of talent – under their previous boss, they were always seen as a team more effective than the individual components.

The fear was that once the manager left, that may not be the case, and that the collective quality of their parts alone might not be enough to avoid relegation.

As a result, appointing their set-piece coach, with no previous managerial experience, and just a year at the club was seen by those outside the club as a huge risk.

A first managerial job is a challenge for anyone, let alone when it comes in the Premier League and having made the jump from set-piece coach to the top job.

But given that Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna was the only other option that the hierarchy looked at, they were clearly convinced they had the correct candidate.

To date, as often seems to be the case with the brains trust at Brentford, it looks as if they were vindicated.

Andrews won just a single of his first five league games in charge but significant home victories against Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle have since occurred.

Results that, following their excellent recent form, could prove increasingly important in the pursuit for Europe.

"We are in fine fettle and playing really good. We are playing with bravery and conviction in everything we do with or without the ball," Andrews added. "We are happy with how we are going but we want to keep improving."

In a league where the European spots and the lower mid-table are currently separated by just eight points, they have no other option, because things could rapidly look very different.

But, for now, Brentford are beating the predictions. And the longer that continues, the closer to fruition those aspirations of the continent will become.