Norwich City's Championship weekend went from bad to worse with Brentford thumping Middlesbrough 4-1 in the north-east to move within a point of the Canaries.

The Bees cut loose at the Riverside a week after Boro held Daniel Farke's side to a goalless draw. Norwich have since drawn 0-0 at Millwall and lost at another of their big promotion rivals, Swansea City, 2-0 on Friday night.

Brentford's 19-game unbeaten run, the best in English football at present, saw them leapfrog the Swans into second place with both clubs still having a game in hand on the Canaries.

Neil Warnock's side took a third minute lead, through an own goal credited to Brentford keeper David Raya, but Ivan Toney notched a brace to take his tally to 22 league goals for the season, with Mathias Jensen and Vitaly Janelt also on target for Thomas Frank's rampant side.

The Bees have a vastly superior goal difference to Norwich and can knock the Canaries off top spot if they get a point at Reading on Wednesday night.

There was some respite for Norwich with promotion contenders Watford held to a 0-0 draw earlier in the day against Coventry and the Royals also drawing 0-0 at Stoke City - the Potters are next up for Farke's side at Carrow Road next weekend.

Sixth-placed Bournemouth were pegged back twice but beat Birmingham 3-2 on the south-coast in the first game for the Cherries since they dismissed coach Jason Tindall. Former Leeds and Real Madrid defender Jonathan Woodgate is currently in caretaker charge.

The Cherries have now opened up a five point gap to seventh-placed Middlesbrough.