Brentford vs. Brighton
Venue: Community Stadium
Kick off: 3PM
Newly-promoted Brentford will be looking to maintain their unbeaten run in the Premier League when they host Brighton & Hove Albion this afternoon.
This will be the first top-flight meeting between the two sides, who have previously met in the second, third and fourth tiers of English football.
Brentford are one of only seven Premier League clubs who remain unbeaten so far this season, claiming a win and two draws from their first three games, including a 1-1 result away at Aston Villa shortly before the international break.
Ivan Toney’s first ever top-flight goal in the seventh minute was cancelled out just six minutes later by Emiliano Buendia, with both sides eventually forced to share the spoils.
The Bees could become the first maiden Premier League club since Portsmouth in 2003-04 to remain unbeaten in their opening four matches, if they were to claim at least a point today.
However, head coach Thomas Frank believes they will face their “toughest opponent” yet when they welcome Brighton to the Brentford Community Stadium.
Brentford have won just three of their last 11 meetings against the Seagulls, with their most recent win away at the Amex Stadium in September 2016.
Frank’s side have impressed many in recent years and are currently enjoying the longest unbeaten run of any side in England’s top four divisions, winning seven and drawing eight of their last 15 matches.
The Bees last tasted defeat on home soil in February, losing 2-0 against Barnsley, so they should be confident of claiming a positive result in front of their roaring supporters.
After claiming six points from their opening three matches, Brighton are in high spirits and are looking to build on their strong start to the new campaign.
Despite suffering a 2-0 defeat to Everton last month, league victories against Burnley and Watford as well as beating Cardiff City in the League Cup, have given Graham Potter plenty to smile about.
Brighton only recorded nine Premier League victories last season, but a win today would see them reach a third of that total in just the opening four matches.
The Seagulls, however, will need to improve their form on the road if they are to come away with all three points this weekend. Potter’s men have won just three of their 22 top-flight away games in London and are winless in nine in the capital since beating Arsenal 2-1 in December 2019.
They have also won just one of their last nine away league games against Brentford, with today’s clash their first visit since an entertaining 3-3 draw in February 2017.
Brighton will be relying on former Brentford striker Neal Maupay to provide the goals; the Frenchman scored 41 times for the Bees before moving to the South Coast for around £20m in 2019, where he has since found the net 20 times under Potter’s management.
Brentford possible XI: Raya, Ajer, Jansson, Pinnock, Canos, Jensen, Norgaard, Janelt, Henry, Toney, Mbeumo.
Brighton possible XI: Sanchez, Webster, Dunk, Duffy;, Gross, Lallana, Bissouma, Cucurella, Mac Allister, Trossard, Maupay.
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