Locked together on 20 points in the Premier League standings, mid-table battlers Brentford and Newcastle United face off at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Bees made an unsuccessful jaunt to Aston Villa in midweek, losing 3-1 to Unai Emery's side, while the Magpies played out a sensational six-goal stalemate with leaders Liverpool.
Match preview
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The Jekyll and Hyde of the 2024-25 Premier League season, Brentford's unrivalled home dominance has seldom translated into successful away days for Thomas Frank's team, who fell to the superiority of a hitherto struggling Aston Villa team in midweek.
The Villa Park die was cast by the 34th minute, as Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins and Matty Cash all breached the net of Mark Flekken, meaning that Mikkel Damsgaard's thunderous finish at the start of the second period was nothing more than a consolation.
However, it was that exact consolation that ensured Brentford would maintain a marginally better goal difference than upcoming foes Newcastle, and the Bees remain in the top half of the Premier League table, at least until Thursday's fixtures are done and dusted.
After another forgettable road trip, Brentford return to the Gtech Community Stadium aiming to retain their status as the Premier League's best-performing home team, having taken an unrivalled 19 points while scoring 22 goals on familiar territory this season.
Always serving up one of the most entertaining fixtures of the weekend whenever they play at home, Brentford have scored at least three times in each of their last four games at the Gtech Community Stadium, although they are still waiting for their first clean sheet of the campaign on their own patch.
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Furthermore, Newcastle were the last visiting side to rock up to the Gtech Community Stadium and emerge triumphant, earning a thrilling 4-2 win in the closing stages of the 2023-24 season to continue a pleasing trend against the Bees.
That success marked the Magpies' fifth win from six top-flight matches against Brentford, the outlier being a 3-3 draw in November 2021, and Saturday's hosts have faced Newcastle more times in the Premier League without winning than any other team.
Sticking with the theme of six-goal spectaculars, Eddie Howe's men twice let a one-goal lead slip against rampant leaders Liverpool on Wednesday night and would seemingly succumb to the brilliance of Mohamed Salah, only for Fabian Schar to capitalise on a rare blunder from Caoimhin Kelleher and level in the dying embers.
As praiseworthy as Newcastle's performance was, Howe's men have now failed to win any of their last three games in the Premier League, and they will slip into the bottom half of the table if at least one of Fulham or Bournemouth come up trumps in their Thursday night fixtures.
Scoring in eight of their last nine Premier League away matches does at least stand Newcastle in good stead, but conceding multiple goals in eight of their last 10 Premier League games in London does not, and the signs certainly point to another Gtech goals galore extravaganza.
Team News
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Brentford travelled to Villa Park in midweek with a depleted engine room, as Mathias Jensen and Christian Norgaard both missed the trip with 'minor injuries', and the former is definitely still absent for this one too.
Kristoffer Ajer (foot) and Norgaard will require late fitness tests, but Frank is hopeful over the latter, while Gustavo Nunes (back), Josh Dasilva (knee), Rico Henry (knee) and Aaron Hickey (thigh) remain out of contention.
Personnel changes could be in store given the quick turnaround, and after three successive substitute appearances in the top flight, summer signing Igor Thiago may very well make his first start in the competition at the tip of the hosts' attack.
Newcastle's own number nine Alexander Isak was a fitness doubt before the Liverpool draw after coming off early against Crystal Palace, but the Swede was able to complete the full 90 in midweek, prolonging Callum Wilson's wait for a start up front.
Kieran Trippier was the only new absentee for the Magpies on Wednesday due to an illness, making him a doubt for the trip to West London too, while Sven Botman (knee), Jamaal Lascelles (knee) and Emil Krafth (shoulder) are still unavailable.
Howe made the bold decision to start Jacob Murphy over Harvey Barnes on the right flank against Liverpool, but the latter will surely come into the manager's thinking this weekend, where Sean Longstaff and Joe Willock will also hope to benefit from some midfield rotation.
Brentford possible starting lineup:
Flekken; Roerslev, Collins, Pinnock, Van den Berg; Norgaard, Janelt, Damsgaard; Mbeumo, Thiago, Wissa
Newcastle United possible starting lineup:
Pope; Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall; Longstaff, Guimaraes, Willock; Barnes, Isak, Gordon
We say: Brentford 2-2 Newcastle United
No sheets should be clean at a ground renowned for absorbing affairs, but while Brentford have been finding the net for fun on home soil all season long, their defending still leaves more questions than answers.
Also coming up against a Newcastle side who have been their Premier League kryptonite for the past three years, the Bees may have to settle for just the one point at the conclusion of another multiple-goal classic.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ben Knapton
