Neal Maupay is putting real pressure on Lasse Vibe for a spot in Brentford's starting XI.

In the final months of last season, the Dane was the only striker available to Dean Smith but, with the capture of the Frenchman, the 30-year-old now has to deal with the pressure for his place.

There has been a clamour, in the wake of Maupay coming off the bench to score in his last two games, for the Frenchman to start at Portman Road but Smith would give nothing away.

He said: "He's a player of great talent which is why we went to great lengths to get him but we know what Lasse Vibe has done in the last two season.

"Neal has put pressure on Lasse, who is an experienced player. It's not as if Lasse hasn't played well.

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"If he'd taken a couple of his chances the conversation would be we have two great forwards which I believe we have."

All strikers are judged on goals and Vibe is currently in a rut where he doesn't look like scoring, although he has proven in the past that he's more than capable to go on a run where he finds the net with regularity.

Smith added: "I look at it a different way. I look at the running and the movement, where he creates space for others.

"His experience, knowhow and leadership qualities in the dressing room and he brings them all for the team. He's a big player for us as is Neal Maupay."

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