Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Premier League clash between Brentford and Ipswich Town, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Clashing for the first time in the top flight of English football, Brentford and Ipswich Town bid to right the wrongs of last weekend at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday.
The Bees drew first blood against Manchester United only to agonisingly lose 2-1 in gameweek eight, while the Tractor Boys went down 2-0 to demotion rivals Everton.
Match preview
© Imago
The heads of two centre-backs were the key talking points of Brentford and Man United’s first 45 minutes last week; as a bloodied Matthijs de Ligt received treatment for an open wound, the Bees capitalised on their hosts being a man down as Ethan Pinnock nodded home from a corner.
Erik ten Hag and co could hardly have been more apoplectic at the situation, but the Bees were pegged back at the start of the second half through a slick Alejandro Garnacho finish, before Rasmus Hojlund‘s cheeky chip completed a much-needed Red Devils turnaround.
Defeat at Old Trafford prolonged a particular pattern for Brentford, who have now been beaten in all four of their Premier League away games this season, but a return to home comforts will be welcomed by the team occupying 13th place in the Premier League standings.
As underwhelming as Brentford have been on the road of late, they have accrued all 10 of their top-flight points in 2024-25 at the Gtech Community Stadium, where they have scored a whopping 14 goals in five matches across all tournaments in the current campaign.
However, if there is one slice of encouragement for the visiting crowd to take, it is that Brentford are still waiting for their first home clean sheet of the new season, and each of the Bees’ last seven matches has seen Thomas Frank‘s side both score and concede.
© Imago
Now boasting an honorary doctorate from the University of Suffolk, Kieran McKenna‘s Ipswich side may require open-heart surgery if they are to avoid a swift relegation back down to the second tier, as the Tractor Boys’ Premier League win counter still stands at zero after eight attempts in 2024-25.
The visit of fellow basement battlers Everton last weekend would seemingly be a prime opportunity to end their top-flight hoodoo, but instead, Sean Dyche left the happier manager after thunderous strikes from Iliman Ndiaye and Michael Keane in the first half.
Now one of just four teams in the top flight without a single success this term, joining Crystal Palace, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton in that unwanted party, Ipswich are at least the highest-ranked winless team, hovering just above the dotted line in 17th position.
Nevertheless, by collecting two points from their four away fixtures in 2024-25, Ipswich have actually performed better on the road than Saturday’s hosts, but the offensive statistics make for highly unpleasant reading for the newly-promoted outfit.
Indeed, Ipswich rank 20th for shots (75) and shots on target (23) in the current Premier League season ahead of a long-awaited reunion with Brentford, whom they have not crossed paths with since an April 2019 Championship affair, which the Bees won 2-0 thanks to Neal Maupay and Ollie Watkins‘s efforts.
Brentford Premier League form:
Brentford form (all competitions):
Ipswich Town Premier League form:
Team News
© Imago
Brentford’s midfield ranks could be strengthened by the return of Mathias Jensen this weekend, as even though the Dane was unable to take on Man United, Frank affirmed last week that the signs were “very positive” for the Ipswich clash.
Rico Henry is also inching ever closer to a competitive comeback after a serious knee injury, but he will certainly not start if he is cleared for a place in the squad, while Igor Thiago (knee), Gustavo Nunes (back), Aaron Hickey (thigh) and Josh Dasilva (knee) remain sidelined.
Jensen may have to accept a place on the bench if he is passed fit too, and Frank should only consider one alteration for the visit of McKenna’s side, as Yoane Wissa pushes to replace Keane Lewis-Potter on the left flank.
Meanwhile, the freak injury of the year award undoubtedly goes to Ipswich defender Axel Tuanzebe, who almost lost his thumb in a bizarre washing up accident at home, and the ex-Manchester United man will spend a couple of months recovering from surgery.
Tuanzebe is joined in the infirmary by Jacob Greaves (hamstring), Ben Johnson (unspecified), Massimo Luongo and Janoi Donacien, both of whom are nursing ankle injuries, but Jens Cajuste (knee) and Ali Al Hamadi (groin) might force their way into contention.
McKenna also said on Thursday that his side were struggling with a few more problems ahead of the game, but he did not go into specifics.
As is the case with their hosts, the majority of Ipswich’s starters from the showdown with Everton should be retained, but Wes Burns did not cover himself in glory for Ndiaye’s goal and may lose his spot to Sammie Szmodics.
Brentford possible starting lineup:
Flekken; Van den Berg, Collins, Pinnock, Ajer; Damsgaard, Janelt, Norgaard; Mbeumo, Schade, Wissa
Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:
Muric; O’Shea, Woolfenden, Burgess, Davis; Phillips, Morsy; Szmodics, Hutchinson, Clarke; Delap
We say: Brentford 3-1 Ipswich Town
Brentford playing at home usually means guaranteed goals at both ends of the field, but Ipswich’s attacking play has left a lot to be desired all season long, and McKenna’s men should be limited to the single consolation goal if anything at all.
McKenna is also ruing the loss of a few defenders through injury, so the Bees should rediscover their sting and return to winning ways without breaking too much of a sweat.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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