Derby County returned home with a point from London after a goalless draw with Brentford at the Brentford Community Stadium on Wednesday evening.
The Rams earned their second-consecutive clean sheet and as they moved to four games unbeaten.
Wayne Rooney made one forced change to the side that earned a 1-0 victory over Millwall on the weekend as Nathan Byrne served a one-match ban for picking up a fifth league yellow card in that game and was replaced by Andre Wisdom.
Kornell McDonald was handed his senior debut midway through the second-half and the young full-back put in a good display, however it came in unfortunate circumstances as he replaced Curtis Davies who was carried off the pitch.
Neither goalkeepers were particularly tested in the first-half, with both sides enjoying spells of good possession.
Brentford came out the blocks quickly and showed their intent to stretch the pitch and piled on the early pressure.
But Derby soon grew into the game and almost saw an opening on the 14-minute mark after Andre Wisdom headed away from the Rams’ box and the ball was quickly moved on the break to the other end, but the final ball through in search of Colin Kazim-Richards went straight through to David Raya.
It was a similar story for the remainder of the half for both side with just a lack of conviction in the final third.
Brentford’s first effort came midway through the half as Vitaly Janelt tried his luck from range, but it fizzed wide of the post.
Though Derby found themselves in good positions at various times in the half, they were unable to pick a shot as the Bees applied the pressure in the closing few minutes. Matt Clarke had a critical block to slide in and deny Emiliano Marcondes’ tight angle shot after Sergi Canos’ cutback.
In the final minute, a long throw into the box from Mads Bech Sorensen bounced over bodies to Mbeumo who had plenty of space just outside the six-yard box, but it was a difficult half volley to twist his body and his effort went just wide of the far post to remain goalless at the break.
Within ten seconds of the second-half, the Bees had a free-kick to the left of the box after a challenge by Wisdom which Marcondes whipped in and forced David Marshall to claw away.
Derby saw out tough pressure in the opening five minutes of the half that was spent in their own half as Brentford had four corners that were unable to break through the Derby defence.
Just ahead of the hour-mark, both sides had their best opportunities of the game. First, Mbuemo missed an open net as Marshall was caught to the right of the post to chase down the ball. Ivan Toney got there first and nodded back into the forward to shank over the crossbar.
Straight down the other end, Kamil Jozwiak weaved into the left side of the box, and he sent a cross to Tom Lawrence but there was too much power for the forward to connect well at the far post and his effort fired just wide.
Ten minutes later, both sides came even closer, but both were denied by the woodwork. This time it was Derby first looking to break the deadlock. Lawrence had a slight opening on the edge of the box which was deflected out for Derby’s first corner. The resulting set-piece was delivered to Jozwiak at the back post who beat Raya through a crowd of bodies, but he rifled his shot onto the post.
Immediately after, Toney backheeled for Canos to run onto in the box. He squared to Josh Dasilva who struck the crossbar from close range.
Neither side could find the end product and Derby will return to Pride Park Stadium on Saturday to face Stoke City.
Brentford: Raya, Henry, Canos (Forss, 83), Marcondes (Jensen, 73), Dasilva, Toney, Jansson (C), Mbeumo (Fosu, 73), Dalsgaard, Janelt (Ghoddos, 83), Sorensen.
Substitutes: Daniels, Thompson, Pinnock, Pressley, Stevens.
Derby County: Marshall, Wisdom, Forsyth, Shinnie, Bielik, Jozwiak (Whittaker, 90+1), Kazim-Richards (Waghorn, 85), Clarke, Holmes (Lawrence, 45), Davies (C) (McDonald, 65), Knight.
Substitutes: Roos, Bird, Ibe, Buchanan, Stretton.