Brentford vs Southampton Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 English Premier League
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Thomas Frank’s Brentford began the season with a defeat of Crystal Palace in a London derby at the Gtech Community Stadium before losing to Liverpool, whilst Southampton travel to the capital city after back-to-back defeats.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday 31st August, 2024 - UK – 3:00pm / US ET – 10:00am / US PT – 7:00am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Not televised / US – Not televised
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Cannot be streamed / US – Peacock, Fubo, Sling Blue or DirecTV Stream
BRENTFORD PREVIEW: BUZZING BEES
Thomas Frank appears to have reset his Brentford side after a difficult season in which they languished in the bottom-half for most of it last year, blighted by injuries and suspensions throughout. This season, they have already shown the tactical flexibility that Frank has become renowned for.
On the opening weekend of the campaign, the Bees played a fluid and more Brentford-in-the-Championship-esque style of football as they defeated Crystal Palace by two goals to one before a backs to the wall and stubborn performance frustrated Liverpool for large parts, albeit the game still resulted in a 2-0 win for the Reds.
SOUTHAMPTON PREVIEW: AVOIDING MISTAKES
Unlike Frank, Russell Martin has earned his reputation and tilt at the Premier League by being an ideologue and devoted to one style of football which is high risk and extreme. The Saints, with a possession, passing dominant style are often wide open so will probably be content to have conceded just two goals in two games thus far.
That style has been ineffective in attack thus far, though, with back-to-back 1-0 defeats. The first of which came against a Newcastle United side at St James’ Park on the opening day that were down to ten men for over an hour before then losing at home to a stubborn Nottingham Forest side at St Mary’s last weekend.
BRENTFORD TEAM NEWS: HICKEY SETBACK, NO TONEY
After undergoing yet another surgery in Helsinki, Aaron Hickey, who was nearing a return, is now set to miss the most of this season after a severe hamstring injury and it has also been confirmed that, regardless of what happens before the end of the transfer window, Ivan Toney will not be involved.
Summer signing Igor Thiago also remains sidelined for the foreseeable future alongside Josh Dasilva with Rico Henry also out but edging closer to a return to the side for this weekend.
PREDICTED XI (4-3-3): Flekken; Roerslev, Collins, Pinnock, Ajer; Jensen, Norgaard, Janelt; Mbeumo, Wissa, Lewis-Potter
UNAVAILABLE: Hickey (Injured), Henry (Injured), Dasilva (Injured), Igor Thiago (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
SOUTHAMPTON TEAM NEWS: DOUBT ON RAMSDALE
Southampton boss Russell Martin has said he hopes to have Aaron Ramsdale registered in time to play this weekend but the Arsenal goalkeeper has yet to officially complete his move to the Saints at the time of writing.
Another goalkeeper, Gavin Bazunu, is the only long-term absentee for the visitors with Kamaldeen Sulemana and Ross Stewart both back in training as well as Adam Lallana and Juan Larios returning to the first-team in midweek.
PREDICTED XI (3-5-2): McCarthy; Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens; Sugawara, Smallbone, Downes, Aribo, Walker-Peters; Brereton, Armstrong
UNAVAILABLE: Bazunu (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
BRENTFORD VS SOUTHAMPTON PREDICTION
Brentford are excellent in the air and at pressing, despite their ability to play good football, too, as they showed when gaining promotion from the Championship. Southampton’s two goals that they have conceded have been from a set-piece and a mistake from being pressed so the Saints will be concerned that they are actually perfectly set up to be dismantled by the hosts, especially in west London.
BRENTFORD VS SOUTHAMPTON TIP: BRENTFORD TO WIN
