Nottingham Forest’s Nuno Espírito Santo was left baffled that Ivan Toney got away with moving the ball – and the referee’s foam that marked the correct spot for the free-kick – before curling home Brentford’s first-half equaliser in the 3-2 home win that marked the striker’s return to action after his eight-month ban for gambling.
Toney was spotted moving the ball a few inches to the right on two occasions when the Forest wall was already set for the free-kick. The Forest manager said: “The law is clear – every situation that leads to a goal must be checked. It’s not even a matter of inches, it’s almost a yard.”
Toney was adamant he was within his rights. “You have a yard either way so I moved it a bit round the corner,” he said. “I saw the gap. Sometimes you have a gap either way and I bent the ball around the wall and was so happy to see it go in. I practise every day in training. Everyone banters me when it goes in the stands or the car park but when it mattered I delivered so it’s good.”
When told of Toney’s claim that you are allowed to move the ball, Nuno said: “That’s a new one on me.”
The goal was Toney’s fourth in four league appearances against Nottingham Forest and came in the 19th minute after Danilo had given Nuno’s side an early lead in west London, before goals from Ben Mee and Neal Maupay sealed a crucial first win since the start of December for Brentford. The 28-year-old Toney lasted the entire match despite not having played competitively since May and said he had predicted his successful return during his long spell on the sidelines.
“It was a long time coming,” said Toney. “I manifested this win when I was at home during the time I was out, I am here now and buzzing to be back scoring goals and winning with the team. I 100% knew this would happen again. I manifest things like this. Before the game, before I left my house, I thought: ‘We’re winning today and I’m scoring.’ And I made it happen, which is good.”
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Brentford’s manager, Thomas Frank, was full of praise for his players after they battled back from a goal down to leapfrog their opponents in the table. “He’s a clever player,” he said of Toney. “And he took his chance very well. I couldn’t stop smiling before the game – it’s great to have him back.”