Having been a Premier League centre-back for a combined seven seasons, Ben Mee knows exactly what coming up against top-class centre-forwards is all about.

But there’s one striker that he won’t have to worry about coming up against during the 2022/23 campaign after signing for Brentford - Bees striker Ivan Toney.

Now team-mates, the duo went head-to-head when we travelled to Ben’s former club, Burnley, last season, which saw the hosts run out as 3-1 winners.

While appearing on Pre-Match Pint, our preview show that returns at 1pm tomorrow on YouTube and brentfordfc.com, Ben revealed exactly how hard it is to play against last season’s 12-goal man, as well as how impressed he has been with the rest of the squad since he arrived in West London.

“Ivan’s difficult to play against,” said Ben. “I only played one game against him last season but I think I played against him when he was at one of his previous clubs.

"He gets his body in well, uses the ball well and he's a difficult opponent. He knows where the net is as well, which is always a handy trait to have as a striker!

“And then you've got the wide players as well, coming off the lines, running in behind and playing off him, which is difficult to play against, for sure.

“Pretty much all the lads have shown me the quality that they’ve got.

“Obviously I know about the likes of Bryan [Mbeumo] and Ivan, and [Yoane] Wissa has been fantastic since I've come in.

“Josh [Dasilva] is also looking sharp and looking really on it. I’m sure he's champing at the bit to get going this season and have a really good campaign. He’s had a good pre-season and he'll really be up for it this season.

“I'm excited, I think we've got a good chance this season to do really well and do good things.”

One striker who the new Bees centre-back will still has to face next season is Jamie Vardy, who could feature for Leicester City when we travel to the King Power Stadium for the first game of the Premier League season on Sunday.

The ex-England international has netted 133 goals in 270 appearances for the Foxes, and will undoubtedly be desperate for more ahead of the new campaign.

And Ben, who has faced Vardy on numerous occasions throughout his top flight career, acknowledges that the 35-year-old can cause problems.

"He's annoying! That’s the only way I can describe him, but obviously in a good way.

"He flits in out of games, he doesn't get too involved, but then he’ll sort of make one run in behind, get on the end of it, and probably score.

“That's why I class him as annoying. You think you've got him most of the game and then he's a danger, he’s a threat. He's very experienced as well.

“He's a top-class player and someone certainly needs to keep an eye on him.”

Pre-Match Pint returns at 1pm tomorrow on our YouTube channel and right here at brentfordfc.com. Keep it locked to our website for exclusive bonus content as Ben answers your questions in ‘Last Orders’