Potential ban for Ivan Toney may sting Bees at the start of next season

Few Premier League players have been more influential than Ivan Toney has been for Brentford this season, but the Bees marksman could potentially be facing a ban after he admitted to breaking Football Association betting rules ahead of his appearance before a disciplinary panel. 

Toney was charged with 232 breaches of betting rules in November as well as an additional 30 in December. It is understood that he has admitted to a number of offences but is contesting others. 

The alleged breaches occurred between February 2017 and January 2021, during which Toney played for Scunthorpe, Wigan, Peterborough and Brentford, but it is his current club who would feel the impact.

It has been reported that Toney could be handed a six-month ban, potentially leaving Brentford without their main man for the end of this season and the start of the 2023-24 campaign. But how much could his absence affect the Bees?

Brentford have established themselves in mid-table in the Premier League this season and have one eye on a push for the European places, but it is fair to say they would not be where they are without Toney.

He played a crucial role in getting the club to the Premier League in 2021, netting 31 league goals in their Championship promotion campaign, and he took no time to adapt to the pace and physicality of the top flight.

Toney has scored 14 goals in 21 Premier League appearances this term and only Erling Haaland (42 per cent) and Harry Kane (39 per cent) have scored a higher proportion of their team's league goals than Toney (38 per cent).

He is an imposing, powerful striker with the ability to get behind defences, a reliable penalty taker and nearly everything good about Brentford's attacking play is focused around Toney, who has featured in 21 of his side's 23 Premier League fixtures this season.

Brentford were unbeaten in the two league matches he missed but that is a small sample size and it is hard to ignore the potential impact his long-term absence could have.

It is not only goals which Toney brings. His hold-up play is also effective, opening the door for Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa to impress. Indeed, in the Premier League this season only three outfield players, Ben Mee, Mathias Jensen and Rico Henry, have had more touches for Brentford than the industrious Toney.

Losing Toney will undoubtedly have an impact on Brentford's performances but fortunately for Bees fans, their club aren't in any real danger of relegation and, for this season at least, the worst that would likely happen in his absence is the club slip into the bottom half.

However, his absence at the start of next season, when they don't have any points already on the board, could be more keenly felt by the Bees.

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