Southampton looking to bounce back in trip to Brentford.
Brentford vs
Southampton
Brentford look to extend their winning streak at home against a struggling Southampton side, eager to rebound from recent defeats, as the two teams clash at the Gtech Community Stadium this Saturday.
Brentford
Brentford’s winning start was dampened by last weekend’s 2-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield. A fabulous goal from Luis Díaz after a well-executed counterattack left the Bees with a one-goal deficit inside the first fifteen minutes. Midway through the second half, Mohamed Salah struck, leaving the game beyond Brentford’s reach.
With last weekend’s defeat, the Bees, who sit in 13th place, have three points going into Match Day 3 (1W, 0D, 1L). This weekend, Brentford will be eager to bounce back from last Sunday’s defeat when they welcome Southampton to the Gtech Community Stadium.
The team will be in high spirits after a 1-0 win over Colchester in the EFL Cup second round earlier this week. Additionally, Brentford has a strong home record against the Saints with back-to-back home wins over the visitors, and a victory on Saturday would mark three successive home wins over Southampton.
Despite a lacklustre display against the Reds, Mbeumo is expected to keep his place in attack alongside Yoane Wissa as Thomas Frank deploys the 4-3-3 formation. Fábio Carvalho could join the duo up front for his first start.
No fewer than four players, including Josh Dasilva and Aaron Hickey, are ruled out of this Match Day 3 encounter. Meanwhile, Ivan Toney's availability remains uncertain, with Chelsea closing in on the 28-year-old.
Southampton
Southampton currently sit in 16th place, three spots below their opponents for Saturday, as one of the five Premier League teams still without a point this season [0W, 0D, 2L]. The Saints recently suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest.
However, a 5-3 victory over Cardiff City on Wednesday night may boost their confidence heading into the weekend's clash against the Bees. "It was hectic, but we found a way in the end," commented Cameron Archer, who scored twice in that match [55’, 90’+4], adding, "We got a few goals, good minutes, and hopefully it puts us in good stead for the future."
Despite this upbeat note, Southampton's challenging away record against Brentford might temper their optimism as they travel to the capital. They have won just once in their last nine away league games against the hosts [1W, 3D, 5L].
For Saturday’s encounter, a 4-3-3 formation with Adam Armstrong, midweek hero Cameron Archer, and Brereton leading the attack is anticipated. Gavin Bazunu is sidelined until early 2025 due to an ACL injury, while Kamaldeen Sulemana may return after the international break.
