Oliver Glasner’s side remain in the bottom three despite another encouraging display between the penalty areas, thanks to a calamitous performance inside both boxes.

Forest had 15 shots at goal, with one on target, compared to Brentford’s seven efforts with one on target, and still managed to lose by two.

Their wayward finishing let them down once again, and their scattergun approach to attacking has still reaped only six league goals this season.

After falling behind to a freak own goal from Nikola Milenkovic, their fate was sealed in the second half when Thiago hit his second goal of the season.

Victory ended Brentford’s four-match winless run in what was the 100th Premier League game at the Gtech Stadium, and probably among the worst.

A familiar story began to unfold when Liam Delap, with one league goal for Forest since signing from Chelsea, turned Sepp van den Berg in the penalty area only to hook his shot high over the crossbar.

Murillo then fired over from the edge of the box and Morgan Gibbs-White’s effort, also from long range, was deflected wide.

Jair Cunha had a bundled effort from a corner saved before James McAtee should have put Forest ahead as Brentford backed off, but he curled his shot wide of the far post.

Brentford had offered little in attack, save from a volley over the top from Mamadou Sangare and Thiago’s effort which rolled wide, but they somehow took the lead on the half hour.

There should have been no danger when Bees winger Dango Ouattara was ushered towards the corner by Murillo.

But Ouattara skipped past the defender and his attempted square ball across goal bounced off the boot of Milenkovic, looping over wrongfooted goalkeeper Matz Sels as it flew into the back of the net.

It certainly confused the Bees’ veteran stadium announcer Peter Gilham, who exclaimed: “A goal for Brentford. I don’t know who scored. Who cares?”

Brentford were inches from doubling their lead after Kevin Schade was fouled just outside the area, with Mathias Jensen thumping the free-kick against the crossbar.

Forest should have equalised 10 minutes into the second half when substitute Ryan Yates met Gibbs-White’s cross, but the midfielder planted his header high over the bar.

Instead Brentford wrapped up their victory when substitute Jaidon Anthony crossed for Thiago to slot home – via another big deflection off the luckless Milenkovic.