Brentford and Crystal Palace will clash in a London derby on Saturday afternoon, with the hosts looking to continue their unbeaten start to the season.
Gameweek 3 of the 2023/24 Premier League season will continue on Saturday, with six matches on show on the day. The action will kick off with the game between Bournemouth and Tottenham Hotspur before four simultaneous fixtures. And one of those will see Brentford welcoming Crystal Palace at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Brentford might have lost Ivan Toney to a betting ban until January. But that has not dampened the spirits at the London club, with the players still playing as more than the sum of their parts. And after starting the season with a 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur, Thomas Frank’s men beat Fulham 3-0 last weekend.
On the other hand, Crystal Palace began the 2023/24 season with a comfortable 1-0 win over Sheffield United. But a hard-fought second game of the new campaign ended in a defeat by the same margin to Arsenal. Nonetheless, Roy Hodgson’s men have given a good account of themselves in the early days of the term.
Both fixtures featuring Brentford and Crystal Palace ended in 1-1 draws, with the Bees making a comeback in both clashes. And ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter.
Team News & Tactics
Brentford
Palace Prep ⚽ pic.twitter.com/xnrnZRYKLN
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) August 24, 2023
Thomas Frank does not have any new roster issues hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against Crystal Palace on Saturday, the Brentford manager will be bereft of the services of three first-team players.
Ivan Toney is the most notable absentee as he continues to serve his betting ban. Meanwhile, Joshua Dasila remains in the treatment room due to a thigh injury. But Ben Mee is closing in on returning to action, although Saturday’s game might have come too soon for him.
Nathan Collins will continue to get a chance to impress in Mee’s absence. The summer signing will form the central defensive partnership alongside Ethan Pinnock, with Aaron Hickey and Rico Henry being the two full-backs. Behind the defensive quartet, there is no looking past Mark Flekken.
As for the midfield unit, Christian Norgaard will hold the fort in the middle of the park, looking to keep Eberechi Eze quiet. The Danish midfielder will accompany Vitaly Janelt and his compatriot Mathias Jensen in the centre of the pitch.
Moving into the final third, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa have scored most of Brentford’s most recent competitive goals. And the onus will be on the duo to deliver the goods again on Saturday, with Kevin Schade completing the numbers in the offensive unit.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Flekken; Hickey, Collins, Pinnock, Henry; Jensen, Norgaard, Janelt; Mbeumo, Wissa, Schade
Crystal Palace
Like his counterpart in the Brentford dugout, Roy Hodgson barely has any injury concerns to deal with ahead of the trip to the Gtech Community Stadium. The Crystal Palace manager will also be without three first-team players on Saturday.
Michael Olise is the most notable absentee, with the young Frenchman still recovering from a hamstring injury. Will Hughes (knee) and Matheus Franca (back) are the other players on the sidelines, with the former the closest player to returning to action.
The Eagles are keen on signing Dean Henderson from Manchester United before the summer transfer window closes. But with the Englishman not close to joining yet, Sam Johnstone remains the first-choice goalkeeper for Crystal Palace, who will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him.
"Getting better, he's making good progress. We're hoping we might see him back with us in the middle of next week." 🙌
The boss gives an update on Will Hughes ℹ️ pic.twitter.com/6rDYlVQfPy
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) August 25, 2023
Joachim Andersen and Marc Guehi have been the subjects of intense speculation this summer. But neither player seems likely to depart before the transfer deadline. And they remain core members of Hodgson’s squad and will form the defensive unit alongside Joel Ward and Tyrick Mitchell.
As for the midfield unit, Jefferson Lerma and Cheick Doucoure form a rock-solid tandem. The duo will look to keep the Brentford attackers quiet for long parts of Saturday’s game. Meanwhile, Eberechi Eze will be the creative supremo for the visitors.
The 25-year-old will look to pull the strings in the final third while having little defensive responsibility. Jordan Ayew and Jeffrey Schlupp should continue as the two wide attackers, with Odsonne Edouard being the central striker.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Johnstone; Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell; Lerma, Doucoure; Ayew, Eze, Schlupp; Edouard
Key Stats
- Brentford versus Crystal Palace could become the only fixture in Premier League history to see the first five encounters all end in a draw. The Bees’ only defeat in their last 12 home league games against the Eagles was a 3-0 loss on Christmas Day in 1957.
- Brentford have won six of their last eight league matches. Meanwhile, their only defeat in their last 16 home league fixtures was a 2-1 loss against Newcastle United in April.
- Crystal Palace have won just four of their last 31 Premier League London derby matches, with only one of those victories coming away from home. However, they have emerged victorious in three of their six top-flight away matches since Roy Hodgson returned to the club.
- Brentford can set a new club record of 12 league games unbeaten in London derbies with a draw or a win on Saturday.
- Bryan Mbeumo is aiming to become just the second player after Thierry Henry to score in six consecutive Premier League London derbies.
Player to Watch
Eberechi Eze
Bryan Mbeumo was an option for this section after starting the season with a bang. But we have gone with Eberechi Eze amid fresh rumours of interest from Manchester City. And with the 25-year-old being the lone warhorse for Crystal Palace, he has a lot riding on him.
The English international has been a talismanic figure for Crystal Palace under Roy Hodgson. But he has not been in his element in the first two games thus far this season. However, a London derby is always an opportunity to shine. And Eze can become an even bigger target for Manchester City with a top-class performance on Saturday.
Prediction
Brentford 1-0 Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace might have become a more solid team following the arrival of Jefferson Lerma. But goals have dried up, with Roy Hodgson not having a prolific attacker in his squad. On the other hand, the Brentford juggernaut under Thomas Frank is not slowing down anytime soon.
The Bees have been on a roll at the onset of the 2023/24 season. And with Bryan Mbeumo firing on all cylinders, they should have enough quality to trump a resilient team like Crystal Palace. The Hard Tackle predicts a 1-0 win for Frank and his charges.
