Brentford
Brentford fans’ main ambitions for the next four months are to finish above West London rivals and potentially earn a European berth. They will return from a two week break to strive to move up the Premier League standings.
Brentford is currently 8th in the Premier League table with 20 games played and above Chelsea but below Fulham. They are 6 points behind Tottenham in 5th place, and their aim is to qualify for European Football. Brentford’s home record this season is 5 wins, 4 draws, and 1 loss, which could provide a foundation for their push towards their goal.
Brentford was eliminated from the FA Cup by West Ham but has maintained their unbeaten run in the Premier League (8 games). They had won 3 consecutive games before drawing with Leeds United. They hope to secure a third League victory in a row at the Gtech Community Stadium, having previously defeated Liverpool and Bournemouth there last month. Players Pontus Jansson, Shandon Baptiste, and Frank Onyeka are hoping to return to the squad to give the manager a full selection of players to choose from.
Brentford Last 5 Results
➖ 22/01/23. 15:00 Leeds United – Brentford 0 : 0 (0 : 0) (0 : 0) Premier League
✅ 14/01/23. 18:30 Brentford – AFC Bournemouth 2 : 0 (1 : 0) (1 : 0) Premier League
❌ 07/01/23. 18:30 Brentford – West Ham United 0 : 1 (0 : 0) (0 : 1) FA Cup
✅ 02/01/23. 18:30 Brentford – Liverpool 3 : 1 (2 : 0) (1 : 1) Premier League
✅ 30/12/22. 20:45 West Ham United – Brentford 0 : 2 (0 : 2) (0 : 0) Premier League
Southampton
Southampton’s League Cup hopes were ended with a defeat against Newcastle United on Tuesday. On transfer deadline day for Premier League clubs, the club’s manager, Nathan Jones, was pleased with the additions made to the squad to boost their fight against relegation. The FA Cup adventure will continue in March.
Nathan Jones’ priority as Southampton’s manager is to secure Premier League survival. The team is currently 20th in the table, 2 points from safety. To move out of the bottom three, they need to improve their 3 wins, 0 draws, 7 losses away record and hope other results go in their favour.
Southampton won 2-1 against Blackpool at home in the FA Cup Fourth Round but lost 3 of their last 4 games in all competitions, including the loss at St James’ Park, slowing their momentum. They also lost 4 of their last 6 away games in all competitions, ending their run of consecutive away victories. Moussa Djenepo is hopeful of being available this weekend, but Kyle Walker-Peters is expected to miss out. Kamaldeen Sulemana and Paul Onuachu were signed on Tuesday and should be included in the squad.
Southampton Last 5 Results
❌ 31/01/23. 21:00 Newcastle United – Southampton 2 : 1 (2 : 1) (0 : 0) League Cup
✅ 28/01/23. 16:00 Southampton – Blackpool 2 : 1 (1 : 0) (1 : 1) FA Cup
❌ 24/01/23. 21:00 Southampton – Newcastle United 0 : 1 (0 : 0) (0 : 1) League Cup
❌ 21/01/23. 16:00 Southampton – Aston Villa 0 : 1 (0 : 0) (0 : 1) Premier League
✅ 14/01/23. 16:00 Everton – Southampton 1 : 2 (1 : 0) (0 : 2) Premier League
Head to Head
Both Brentford and Southampton won against each other at home in the Premier League last season. Brentford won 3-0 against Southampton in May, ending a run of 5 winless games at home against them.
Premier League
07/05/22, 16:00 Brentford – Southampton 3 : 0 (2 : 0) (1 : 0)
11/01/22, 20:45 Southampton – Brentford 4 : 1 (2 : 1) (2 : 0)
TWV Sport Team Thoughts
Brentford has been given a two-week break from League games due to being out of all Cup competitions. This break has allowed the team to reassess and ensure that the squad is not being overburdened. A strong squad is expected to be available to Thomas Frank for their game against Southampton on Saturday, despite Southampton having played three times since Brentford’s last game.
Nathan Jones may see the two-week break as an advantage, as it gives his team more rhythm and allows them to integrate the new players signed on transfer deadline day. However, improvement is needed on both offense and defense for Southampton, as they are currently bottom of the Premier League table and one of the lower scoring teams in the division. They had won two consecutive away games before losing at Newcastle United, but have fallen behind in each of their last 6 away games in all competitions. Falling behind early in this game against Brentford, who have been playing well in the Premier League, could be concerning for Southampton.
It is evident that Brentford have a strong home record and have been successful in beating some of the top teams in the Premier League at the Gtech Community Stadium. Their confidence will be high heading into this game against Southampton, and the healthy squad will only add to their chances of securing a victory. The ability to create chances, along with the ability to score goals, gives Brentford an advantage in this fixture.
Match Result Prediction
✅ Brentford to win.
Score Prediction
Brentford 2 – 0 Southampton
