Brentford welcome Everton to Gtech Community Stadium in a clash with ratifications at opposite ends of Premier League table.
Brentford can climb into the top four with a win if results elsewhere go in their favour, whilst Everton can avoid falling into the relegation zone with at least a draw.
Team News
Brentford have no fresh injury concerns to report following their midweek win at Colchester United in Carabao Cup, with Keane Lewis-Potter chasing a first Premier League start after impressing in cup action if he can shake off a minor knock.
David Raya, Ben Mee, Christian Norgaard and Bryan Mbeumo are amongst first-team regulars looking for a recall, having been left out of the Bees’ midweek victory.
Mads Roerslev (ankle) is a doubt but Kristoffer Ajer, Sergi Canos (both hamstring) and Ethan Pinnock (knee) all remain absent.
Everton could be without Tom Davies after he pulled out of Everton’s midweek Carabao Cup win at Fleetwood Town with a groin injury.
Jordan Pickford, Conor Coady and Anthony Gordon plus other regulars will be looking for a recall after they were left out of the midweek match.
Andre Gomes (muscle) is a doubt but Ben Godfrey (fibula), Yerry Mina (ankle), Abdoulaye Doucoure (hamstring), Andros Townsend and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (both knee) remain absent.
Stat Attack
- Brentford are unbeaten in two previous Premier League meetings against Everton (W2).
- Everton are winless in six previous top-flight meetings away to Brentford (D2, L4).
- Thomas Frank’s Bees won two of three meetings against Everton in all competitions last season (W2, L1), only suffering defeat in Fourth Round of 2021-22 FA Cup.
- Brentford are looking to score at least twice in four consecutive Premier League matches for the very first time.
- Everton have kept just one clean sheet in 13 away matches in all competitions in 2022 (W2, D1, L10) – which came in a goalless draw at Watford in May.
Prediction
After thrashing Manchester United in a dominant manner a fortnight ago, I was surprised at how lacklustre Brentford were in the first-half at Fulham last weekend because they were played absolutely off the ball with little room to settle so I anticipate a reaction here.
One positive which Thomas Frank’s Bees can take is how high their team unity and spirit is for them to have fought back from two goals down to almost snatch a draw amidst great goalkeeping, yet more late defensive sloppiness proved costly which a much-changed team corrected in midweek.
Everton though do play like Fulham did in terms of aggressive attacking but however lack clinical finishing and are vulnerable in wide areas, which Nottingham Forest did well to expose and nearly punished if hadn’t been for the Toffees’ late equaliser.
In fact, that continued to be the case in Everton’s narrow midweek Carabao Cup win at Fleetwood Town, although clinical finishing proved on their side despite registering less shots on target than the hosts which is a small positive to take into this game.
If Everton do turn up and play like they did last weekend, they will have to be much better because I otherwise fancy Brentford to win this, especially once they settle and find their goal-scoring stride like in their opening three league games.
Prediction: Brentford 2-1 Everton
Result: Brentford 1-1 Everton
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