
The Football Faithful
·23 agosto 2025
Brentford vs Aston Villa – Match preview and team news

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Yahoo sportsThe Football Faithful
·23 agosto 2025
Brentford play their first home game of the season against Aston Villa on Saturday, with new head coach Keith Andrews aiming to secure his first points after a disappointing opening-day loss.
The mood at the Gtech Community Stadium will be optimistic, however, with a number of new signings set to be involved.
The match pits two clubs in very different situations against each other. Brentford are navigating a summer of major upheaval and are looking for their new-look side to gel. Meanwhile, Unai Emery is tasked with getting the most out of a stretched Aston Villa squad.
Head coach Keith Andrews is expected to make several changes to the side that lost at Nottingham Forest.
Veteran midfielder Jordan Henderson is pushing for a start to add experience, while the attack will be boosted by the arrival of club-record signing Dango Ouattara. The former Bournemouth winger is poised to make his debut and provide a significant new threat. Meanwhile, forward Yoane Wissa remains unavailable amid transfer speculation.
Unai Emery is contending with a stretched squad that has seen limited investment over the summer. The manager has publicly expressed concerns over the club’s spending power compared to rivals, a situation compounded by the recent £40m sale of Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle.
For this match, Emery’s main problem is in defence. Ezri Konsa is suspended following his red card last weekend, forcing a reshuffle at the back. Pau Torres is the most likely candidate to step into the starting eleven. Up front, Ollie Watkins will continue to lead the line, but new striker Evann Guessand is still waiting for his debut.
Brentford’s new era under Keith Andrews began with a disappointing defeat at Nottingham Forest, a performance that highlighted the challenges of integrating a rebuilt squad. Andrews will be demanding a much-improved performance at home, with the potential debut of new signings like Dango Ouattara providing a timely boost of quality.
Aston Villa started their season with a frustrating goalless draw at home to Newcastle. Emery’s side struggled to create clear-cut chances and looked short of ideas in attack. Their task was made harder by Ezri Konsa’s sending off, the consequences of which will be felt this weekend.
Brentford predicted XI: Kelleher; Kayode, Collins, van den Berg, Henry; Yarmoliuk, Henderson, Milambo; Ouattara, Igor Thiago, Lewis-Potter.
Aston Villa predicted XI: Bizot; Cash, Mings, Torres, Digne; Kamara, Tielemans, McGinn; Malen, Rogers; Watkins.
Due to the Saturday 3pm blackout rule in the UK, this match will not be broadcast live on television. Highlights will be shown on BBC’s Match of the Day from Saturday evening, with live radio commentary available on BBC Radio 5 Live.
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