Brentford vs Sunderland – Match Preview and Team News | OneFootball

Two of the Premier League’s surprise European contenders go head-to-head on Wednesday night as seventh-placed Brentford host Sunderland at the Gtech Community Stadium.

The Bees have defied early-season scepticism under Keith Andrews, mounting a serious challenge for European places following a dominant 4-2 win over Everton. Currently sitting in seventh place with 30 points, they are within touching distance of the top five. They face a Sunderland side that has displayed remarkable resilience under Régis Le Bris.

The Black Cats occupy eighth place, level on 30 points with their hosts, after securing an “absorbing” 1-1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. While Sunderland have held elite opposition like Manchester City and Spurs recently, they travel to West London searching for a clinical edge to turn these impressive stalemates into three points.

Brentford vs Sunderland – Match Preview and Team News

Team News

Brentford

Keith Andrews reports no fresh injury concerns following the high-scoring victory at Everton. However, the squad remains depleted by long-term ACL injuries to Fábio Carvalho and Antoni Milambo, while Josh Dasilva is still sidelined. The Bees are also missing Frank Onyeka and Dango Ouattara, who are currently representing their nations at AFCON. Midfielder Mathias Jensen is expected to return to the starting XI after a recent bout of illness.

Sunderland

The Black Cats face a significant personnel crisis due to AFCON commitments, with six first-team players unavailable: Reinildo Mandava, Noah Sadiki, Chemsdine Talbi, Arthur Masuaku, Bertrand Traoré, and Habib Diarra. Manager Régis Le Bris must also sweat on the fitness of forward Wilson Isidor, who will undergo a late test. Centre-back Daniel Ballard remains a doubt with a recurring ankle issue, while Aji Alese is a long-term absentee.

Form

Brentford

Brentford have transformed the Gtech Community Stadium into a fortress under Keith Andrews. They have won six of their 10 home league games this season, a record matched only by Mark Warburton in the club’s modern history. Notably, striker Igor Thiago is in electric form, having netted 14 goals in 20 appearances. He is now just one goal shy of the Premier League record for most goals by a Brazilian in a single campaign.

Sunderland

Sunderland arrive as the division’s undisputed “stalemate specialists,” having drawn each of their last four matches against top-tier opposition. Should they draw again on Wednesday, they would be the first team to record five consecutive Premier League stalemates since 2021. Despite their injury woes, their defensive organisation remains elite; the Black Cats have conceded goals in both halves in only 5% of their matches this season.

Predicted Lineups

Brentford predicted XI: Kelleher; Kayode, Ajer, Collins, Henry; Yarmoliuk, Janelt; Jensen, Damsgaard, Schade; Thiago

Sunderland predicted XI: Roefs; Hume, Mukiele, Alderete, Cirkin; Geertruida, Xhaka; Mayenda, Le Fée, Adingra; Brobbey

How to watch Brentford vs Sunderland?

In the UK, the match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Tennis, with coverage starting at 18:00 GMT.

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