Brentford boss Thomas Frank backed star striker Ivan Toney to be the difference maker for England at the upcoming World Cup.

Toney netted once in either half as the Bees beat Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0 under the lights at the Gtech Community Stadium.

It was another talismanic performance from Toney, who led the line superbly for the hosts and further fed calls for the 26-year-old to be included in Gareth Southgate’s 26-man squad.

And Frank believes the forward, who now has eight Premier League goals this season, has the mental ability required to make an impact in Qatar.

“If he came on in a quarter-final or a semi-final, he would 100% believe that he will score the winner,” said Frank.

“He would walk onto the pitch believing that. Whether it happens or not, we don’t know but he has the confidence.

“He was the attitude where he’s confident but humble. I know he has a big presence but he’s humble and I think that’s key – he just wants to get better every day.”

Toney was called-up by England manager Southgate in the last international break but did not make into onto the pitch in either game.

But the striker continued to make his case for inclusion with a sumptuous, flicked finish from Frank Onyeka’s cross in the first-half before adding a second from 12 yards after being hauled down by Joel Veltman.

It was another electric performance from the Brentford captain, and Frank believes he must be in the squad.

“Ivan has some abilities, and shows the form, that you need,” he added. “I think he should be involved in the squad for the World Cup.

“I don’t know the full picture but looking at the strikers in the last camp, Ivan has something different, and I think you need different tools and weapons for a World Cup.”

Toney’s brace earned a vital three points for the Bees as they bounced back from a 5-1 defeat away at Newcastle last week to end a run of three games without a win.

And Frank was pleased with his side’s response after last weekend’s thrashing in the North East.

“It was a massive win, a massive performance; I really loved the characters of the players,” said Frank. “They showed that little extra bit of determination to win a football match.

“When you lose a game, it’s all about how you come back. It’s how we’re handling our setbacks that define us.

“Good teams bounce back after a loss and not the best performance. I asked the players to show togetherness, attitude, and hard work.

“We needed to do the basics right because the last couple of weeks we haven’t had the highest levels.

“In spells I would have loved to play a little bit more but it’s all about winning. After a very good start to the season, we’d lost a tiny bit so that was a good win.”