Brentford's draw streak extends to five as leno's heroics deny late charge

Brentford's quest to close the gap on top-four contenders like Liverpool hit another roadblock, as a goalless west London derby with Fulham saw the Bees extend their streak of consecutive league draws to five.

Fulham's leno saves the day with stunning late stop

Keith Andrews' side had the chance to move within touching distance of the Premier League's elite, only to be thwarted by Bernd Leno's reflexive save in the final minute of regular time. The German goalkeeper's staggering effort denied Dango Ouattara's close-range attempt, preserving Fulham's clean sheet and a hard-fought point.

Calvin Bassey, the towering center-back, was quick to congratulate his goalkeeper, acknowledging the pivotal moment that kept his team in the contest. Brentford's attacking efforts were largely thwarted by the lime-green wall constructed by Bassey and Joachim Andersen, with Igor Thiago kept relatively quiet throughout.

In a match devoid of clear-cut chances, Ouattara's cross-turned-shot forced Leno to tip over the bar, while Mikkel Damsgaard's impressive first-time strike from the edge of the area sailed just wide of the top left corner. Meanwhile, Harry Wilson, the Fulham forward who has haunted Brentford supporters with his late-game heroics, was once again a thorn in their side.

Despite the lack of recent victories, Brentford's resilience and adaptability have been key to their top-half standing this season. The loss of Thomas Frank, along with his two main strikers and the captain, was mitigated by the appointment of set-piece coach Keith Andrews and the emergence of Thiago as a goal-scoring threat.

As the teams prepare to face new challenges, Brentford will look to regroup and rediscover their attacking spark, while Fulham can take heart from a gritty display that showcased their defensive resolve.