Brentford face a stern Premier League test on Sunday as they travel to face table-topping Brighton at the Amex Stadium. Their record of three wins, five draws and one loss this season has them ten points behind the leaders Arsenal. Their recent form over the last five matches shows one win, two draws and two losses.
Brighton lead the division with 19 points from a 6-1-2 record and a formidable +17 goal difference. Their recent run includes wins over Manchester City, Crystal Palace and Arsenal, posing a significant challenge for a Brentford team that has conceded nine goals this season, having scored 16 for a positive goal difference of seven. The Bees will be without the suspended Yegor Yarmoliuk and injured players including Joshua Dasilva, Rico Henry and Fabio Carvalho. Brighton also have significant absences, with attackers Kaoru Mitoma and Evan Ferguson among those sidelined.
Team news and predicted lineups
Brentford are expected to set up in a 4-3-3 formation. Kevin Schade, the club's top scorer this season with three goals in nine appearances, will be a key outlet. Charalampos Kostoulas has also netted three times for the hosts, while Brighton's Maxim De Cuyper has created a team-high 20 chances. The Seagulls are predicted to use a 4-2-3-1 shape. Brentford's last win was a 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on Saturday 31 October, where an own goal and a 76th-minute strike from Igor Thiago secured the points. That result followed a 3-2 defeat away to Sunderland on Wednesday 28 October, in which Callum Wilson and Igor Thiago scored for the Bees. Prior to that, they drew 1-1 with Hull City on Sunday 25 October, lost 1-2 to Liverpool at home on Saturday 17 October, and drew 2-2 with Aston Villa on Saturday 10 October. Their recent fixtures show a pattern of defensive vulnerability, having let in three against Sunderland in their last away trip.
This match is a key opportunity for Brentford to close the ten-point gap to league leaders Arsenal and solidify their top-six position. The last meeting between these sides in February ended in a 2-0 win for Brighton.
