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An even game, shared points and a collective dream of Europe that remains alive after this draw. Igor Thiago’s double seemed to have given Brentford a victory that would have moved them up to sixth, only for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to lash home an injury-time equaliser and ensure Everton departed with something to show for their efforts.

It was little more than they deserved in a match that ebbed and flowed without either side edging further than a neck in front.

Can Everton roll back the years and recall that old European football feeling? Might Brentford reach uncharted territory? Neither ambition died on Saturday.

These are extraordinary times for Brentford, a club whose nascent top-flight tenure barely makes a mark on their overall 136-year history. A healthy dose of those who watched their team edge closer to European football will have been long accustomed to life in the third tier, where their team spent many decades before their limb up the pyramid.

That their side now contains an England captain in Jordan Henderson and a Brazil striker in Igor Thiago, must be peculiar to comprehend. If the lattercontinues in this manner they could end up with the leading goalscorer in the Premier League this season.

Igor Thiago’s double took his tally to 21, breaking the club record in the competition and putting him within one of Erling Haaland. He had opened his international account from the penalty spot against Croatia last week and his first here came in the same fashion.

Fewer than 90 seconds had ticked by after Everton’s rugby-esque up-and-under that launched proceedings when Jordan Pickford’s outstretched leg felled Kavin Schade as the German sped past. The award of a penalty prompted no more than a resigned grimace from the England goalkeeper, who dived the right way, but was unable to keep out Igor Thiago’s spot kick.

Stunned by that early blow, the visitors took some time to recover, but eventually found their footing. Caoimhin Kelleher produced a wonderful double save to deny Idrissa Gueye and Beto, but that same duo combined five minutes later to draw Everton level. Keane Lewis-Potter was too weak when dispossessed, allowing Gueye to dink a first-time cross that was expertly nodded into the net by Beto, taking his tally to four in five games.

The hosts ended the first period strongest, with Pickford saving well to keep Mathias Jensen’s curled shot out, while Schade then plonked a header against the crossbar.

Everton’s tardy start to the first half was made to look full of intent by their comatose performance immediately after half-time. Yet for all of Brentford’s possession and territory, chances remained at a premium for them until Michael Kayode drove powerfully from the right flank and smashed a powerful shot that Thiago turned past Pickford with his thigh.

That looked to be the goal to settle proceedings, but Brentford could not clear from a late Everton surge and Dewsbury-Hall arrowed in the equaliser past Kelleher.