Both revelling in remarkable London derby victories over the past week, Brentford and West Ham United gear up for another Premier League capital clash at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday.
The Bees made Stamford Bridge history by sinking Chelsea 2-0 last weekend, while the Irons made the EFL Cup quarter-finals courtesy of a 3-1 success over Arsenal in midweek.
Match preview
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Absorbing copious amounts of Chelsea pressure before launching two devastating counter-attacks, Brentford became the first team to ever win their first three Premier League games at Stamford Bridge last weekend, halting the Blues' mini-revival to earn the West London bragging rights.
As a surfeit of opportunities came and went for the hosts, Brentford surged down the other end of the pitch and broke the deadlock through Ethan Pinnock's bullet of a header, before Robert Sanchez came up for an injury-time corner and left his goal exposed, allowing Neal Maupay and Bryan Mbeumo to combine for the latter to roll the ball into an empty net.
While Chelsea's resurgence was stopped in its tracks last weekend, Brentford are now enjoying their own turnaround in fortunes, as a 3-0 beating of Burnley last weekend means that the Bees have won back-to-back fixtures for the first time this season, as well as keeping clean sheets in successive Premier League wins for the first time ever.
From going winless in six games to taking six points from their last two, the Bees shot up to 10th place in the standings last weekend and are now out to secure three straight Premier League triumphs for the first time since the final three gameweeks of the 2022-23 season, where West Ham were one of their victims.
Owing to their third-round exit to Arsenal, Brentford have enjoyed a full week to recuperate from and rejoice in their success at Chelsea, who were coincidentally the last team to prevent Thomas Frank's side from scoring in a Premier League home game, all the way back in October 2022.
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While Brentford fell to Arsenal's superiority in the EFL Cup, an aggressive and high-pressing West Ham outfit condemned the Gunners to a 32nd year without a slice of February silverware, although they were counting their lucky stars that no VAR was in operation to pick up on Tomas Soucek pulling Aaron Ramsdale's shirt before Ben White headed into his own net.
However, there was no hint of controversy surrounding Mohammed Kudus's delightful touch and finish early in the second period, and a 60th-minute Jarrod Bowen drive - albeit a deflected one - punched the Hammers' ticket to the last eight before Martin Odegaard's injury-time consolation.
Before David Moyes's side can turn their attention to a quarter-final date with Liverpool in December, the Irons have a three-game winless run in the Premier League to rectify, having held Newcastle United to a score draw before falling short against Aston Villa and Everton, who left the London Stadium with all three points last weekend thanks to a Dominic Calvert-Lewin effort.
As such, West Ham find themselves just one spot and one point better off than Brentford in ninth position, having failed to score in a Premier League home game for the first time in 2023 last weekend, but all of their top-flight away games so far this term has seen both teams find the net.
Only two of the Irons' last nine Premier League contests on the road have ended in victory, though, and they have lost each of their four top-flight meetings with Brentford since the Bees joined the big boys in 2021, although Moyes did oversee a 1-0 FA Cup win at the Gtech in January as Said Benrahma returned to haunt his former employers.
Team News
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As well as emerging from their West London derby with all three points, Brentford did not report any fresh fitness concerns against Chelsea and may even have Shandon Baptiste back from his shoulder concern in time to face West Ham.
However, Rico Henry (knee), Ivan Toney (suspended), Keane Lewis-Potter (calf), Mikkel Damsgaard (knee), Josh Dasilva (thigh) and Kevin Schade (adductor) are all out of contention for the Bees, who should see no reason to alter last weekend's winning formula.
A 3-5-2 setup would therefore see Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa continue in tandem up front, in spite of Maupay's crucial contribution off the bench at Stamford Bridge, although Ben Mee is a competent option for change at the back.
Similarly, West Ham also came out of their beating of Arsenal unscathed on the physical front, although Bowen was left bloodied in the second half and needed to leave the field for treatment; he was fine to complete the full 90 as his side's central striker, though.
However, Kurt Zouma missed that win with a knee issue and will need assessing, while Lucas Paqueta and Edson Alvarez were both cautioned for the fifth time in the Premier League season, and the pair must therefore serve one-match suspensions at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Thankfully for Moyes, a refreshed James Ward-Prowse is not a half-bad option for change in the middle of the pitch, while Kudus should expect to deputise for the banned Paqueta after a vivacious display against the Gunners.
Brentford possible starting lineup:
Flekken; Ajer, Collins, Pinnock; Roerslev, Jensen, Janelt, Norgaard, Hickey; Mbeumo, Wissa
West Ham United possible starting lineup:
Areola; Coufal, Mavropanos, Aguerd, Emerson; Ward-Prowse, Soucek; Bowen, Kudus, Benrahma; Antonio
We say: Brentford 2-1 West Ham United
Given Brentford's penchant for goals on home soil and the Hammers' defensive shortcomings on the road, the Bees' hot streak at the Gtech ought to continue against their fatigued opponents, who left it all out on the pitch on Wednesday evening and deservedly got their reward.
Even Alvarez and Paqueta's bans should not have too big a bearing on Saturday's result, although it does leave Moyes with fewer options for in-game change in the middle, and Brentford's extended recuperation period could also play its part in seeing West London defeat East London once again.
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Top tip
Ben Knapton
