Bournemouth will look to bring an end to their eight-match winless run when they hit the road to square up against Brentford.
Brentford will be looking to make it two consecutive wins in the Premier League when they host Bournemouth at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday. Both teams have not been consistent enough and given the quality of both squads, this could be a very close afair.
The home team are 12th on the points table with 23 points in their 17 outings, thanks to seven wins, two draws, and eight defeats. While the Bees have not been consistent enough, they are only four points behind the top six and can certainly turn things around with a run of positive results.
The West London outfit might have only won two out of their last five league outings, but they are heading into this one on the back of an impressive 2-0 win over Wolves. It was a dominant display, and Keith Andrews’s charges will certainly give them a lot of confidence heading into this fixture.
Meanwhile, the Cherries are 15th on the points table with 22 in their 17 outings, with five wins, seven draws, and five defeats. Andoni Iraola’s men have been winless in their last eight league outings, and they are certainly desperate for all three points heading into this fixture.
While Bournemouth have been winless for some time, they are heading into this fixture on the back of three straight draws in the Premier League. They managed to secure a point against Chelsea and Manchester United before playing out a 1-1 draw against Burnley.
Despite not being in the best of form, the away side will be confident about giving Brentford a run for their money. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Brentford
The Bees remain without the services of Frank Onyeka and Dango Ouattara, who are away due to the Africa Cup of Nations. Meanwhile, Fabio Carvalho, Antoni Milambo, and Joshua Dasilva are out injured. Reiss Nelson is closing in on a return and could be a part of the squad for this fixture.
The home team will line up in a 4-3-3 formation, where Caoimhin Kelleher will be in goal. Michael Kayode and Rico Henry will be the full-backs, while Nathan Collins will start alongside Sepp van den Berg in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Yehor Yarmolyuk, Vitaly Janelt and Mathias Jensen will be line up in the middle of the park. The trio will look to control the tempo and ensure they dominate the ball.
Kevin Schade and Keane Lewis-Potter are expected to feature out wide on the flanks, providing much-needed width to their attacks. Meanwhile, Igor Thiago will lead the line for Brentford against Bournemouth, hoping to bring an end to his four-game scoring drought.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Kelleher; Kayode, Collins, Van den Berg, Henry; Jensen, Janelt, Yarmolyuk; Schade, Thiago, Lewis-Potter
Bournemouth
Andoni Iraola remains without the services of Ben Doak, Veljko Milosavljevic, and Tyler Adams. Ryan Christie, who returned to the mix against Burnley, is expected to have a bigger role in this fixture.
The visitors will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Djordje Petrovic will be in goal. Alex Jimenez and Adrien Truffert are expected to be the full-backs, while Bafode Diakite should start alongside Marcos Senesi in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Lewis Cook will pair up with Marcus Tavernier in the centre of the park. The central midfield duo will not only shield the backline but also look to ensure they do not allow Brentford to control the tempo.
Justin Kluivert will continue in the number ten role, while the highly sought-after Antoine Semenyo and David Brooks will feature on the flanks. Meanwhile, Evanilson will spearhead the Bournemouth attack against Brentford this weekend.
Bournemouth (4-2-3-1): Petrovic; Jimenez, Diakite, Senesi, Truffert; Tavernier, Cook; Brooks, Kluivert, Semenyo; Evanilson
Key Stats
- Brentford have won five out of their last six meetings against Bournemouth. The Bees have not lost to the Cherries since 2021.
- Bournemouth are on an eight-match winless run in the Premier League.
- Keith Andrews’s team haven’t won at home since the end of November.
- Only Erling Haaland have bagged more goals than Igor Thiago this season. While he has 11 goals, he has not scored in his last four outings.
- The Cherries have conceded 29 goals so far; only the current bottom three and Leeds have conceded more.
Player to Watch
Igor Thiago
The 24-year-old striker is enjoying a breakthrough season at Brentford, after struggling with injuries last time out. Igor Thiago has taken on the responsibility of being the leader of their attack, and he has bagged 11 goals in his 17 league outings.
However, the Brazilian striker has not found the back of the net since bagging a brace against Burnley towards the end of November. The former Club Brugge forward will be eager to get back on the scoresheet and, in the process, help his team claim all three points.
Prediction
Brentford 2-2 Bournemouth
Brentford will head into this fixture with a slight psychological edge, having dominated recent meetings with Bournemouth, and their confidence should be boosted by a commanding win last time out. The Bees have enough quality in midfield and out wide to trouble the Cherries, especially if Igor Thiago can rediscover his scoring touch and lead the line effectively at home.
Bournemouth, however, have shown signs of resilience in recent weeks, grinding out draws against strong opposition despite their prolonged winless run. If Andoni Iraola’s side remain disciplined and take their chances on the counter, they are capable of coming away with a result.
A closely fought contest with goals at both ends seems likely, making a share of the spoils the most probable outcome. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-2 draw in this fixture.
