Brentford welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to Brentford Community Stadium in Friday Night Football.
Victory would lift Brentford up to eighth, whereas victory would see Brighton reclaim fourth in the table ahead of Saturday’s action.
Team News
Goalkeeper, Thomas Strakosha is ruled out for Brentford with an ankle ligament injury.
Pontus Jansson (hamstring), Christian Norgaard (Achilles) and Keane Lewis-Potter (ligament) remain absent.
Brighton have no fresh injury concerns to report after last Saturday’s defeat against Tottenham.
Jakub Moder (knee) remains absent, whilst Enock Mwepu has retired following the discovery of a hereditary heart condition.
Stat Attack
- Brentford are winless in two previous Premier League meetings against Brighton (L2).
- Brighton won their only previous Premier League visit to Brentford by 1-0 result in September 2021.
- Thomas Frank’s Bees are yet to score against Brighton in the Premier League.
- Brentford have won each of their two previous Friday Night Football fixtures in the Premier League (W2), scoring twice at home against Arsenal and Watford respectively last season.
- Four of Leandro Trossard’s five league goals for Brighton this season have been scored away from home.
Prediction
Having enjoyed a positive start at Newcastle last weekend but unluckily denied an early lead by VAR, Brentford were awfully let down by a lacklustre defensive effort with players eaily dispossesed and lacked their usual quality in man marking plus passes.
I therefore am hopeful that Thomas Frank can force a strong reaction out of his Bees but they will need to certainly improve their defensive play, if they’re to take the fight to Brighton.
Speaking of Brighton, they just simply lacked the clinical edge to get a result at home to Tottenham last weekend – amidst great saves from Robert Sanchez, so I am hoping to see another strong display but with better finishing because several shots last time out were inaccurate.
Both teams though do like to play attacking football so I can see a tough battle if both teams are at their best, although Brighton should have the edge if they play like they did in their last away match at Liverpool.
Prediction: Brentford 1-2 Brighton
Result: Brentford 2-0 Brighton