Hákon Valdimarsson made two crucial saves from 12 yards to help Brentford march into the last 16 of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday - but afterwards admitted that Bees goalkeeping coach Manu Sotelo laid the platform for his heroics.

Valdimarsson shrugged off early adversity to inspire Keith Andrews' much-changed side to victory over Aston Villa, and diving stops to deny Villans captain John McGinn and Matty Cash clinched a 4-2 penalty shoot-out success following a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes.

Harvey Elliott's opener saw the hosts enter the break a goal down, but Aaron Hickey's first Brentford goal - a scorching volley from a partially-cleared long throw - set the stage for Valdimarsson’s match-winning turn.

There were echoes of Colchester away in the same competition last season (when he also saved a penalty) as the 23-year-old was mobbed by his team-mates at the end of the game... but Valdimarsson was quick to give credit to his mentor Sotelo.

“Manu told me where to go every time," he said post-match.

"We looked at it together before the game so I’m just very happy I could save two of them.”

Appointed prior to the 2020/21 season, Sotelo will surely take pride in the west Londoners' record in cup shoot-outs since he joined the club.

Brentford have won five of the six they have contested since the Spaniard came onboard - with Gillingham the only team to have got the better of the Bees during this time.

Valdimarsson took centre stage, but he had a strong supporting cast in the shoot-out: Fábio Carvalho, debutant Reiss Nelson, Yehor Yarmoliuk and Mikkel Damsgaard - on his 100th appearance for the Bees - all doing the business from 12 yards.

It was fitting that Damsgaard marked his milestone with the winning penalty, as it was the Dane who missed from the spot against the Gills back in 2022, and Brentford have now impressively scored their last 14 penalty kicks in shoot-out situations.

This is perhaps to be expected when you consider Brentford's clinical ability to convert penalties in game situations over recent years.

In fact, dating back five seasons, the Bees have only missed three of the 28 spot-kicks they have been awarded.

One failed attempt apiece from Ivan Toney, Bryan Mbeumo and Kevin Schade mark the only occasions when Brentford have been denied from 2021/22 onwards, and their impressive penalty conversion rate of 89 per cent far exceeds the average of around 75 per cent.

Another resilient showing, complete with another goal from a throw-in, delighted head coach Keith Andrews who remarked that his side are "growing as a group", as they look forward to a second-successive west London derby in the Premier League this weekend.

A short trip to Craven Cottage to face Fulham awaits.

With their Carabao Cup aspirations still alive and kicking, the Bees will hope to maintain their record of scoring in every game they have played this season - a feat matched by only seven other clubs in the top four divisions and only champions Liverpool in the top flight.