Sunderland will look to bring an end to their winless run in the league when they hit the road to face Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Wednesday.
Both Sunderland and Brentford are pushing for a European spot after an impressive start to the season, and this fixture could prove to be very important in the long run. The newly promoted outfit will look to return to winning ways, while the Bees will look to build on their win last time out in their meeting at the Gtech Community Stadium.
The home team are seventh on the table with 30 points in their 20 outings. Keith Andrews’s men have been unbeaten in their last five league outings, and they have won three out of their last four. The Bees are only four points behind fourth-placed Liverpool, and they will certainly be eager to keep the pressure on the teams above them.
Brentford are heading into this fixture on the back of an impressive 4-2 win for Everton. They dominated the proceedings, and Igor Thiago stole the show with a hat-trick. The home side will be hoping for something similar against Sunderland.
Speaking of, the newly promoted outfit are certainly punching above their weight as they are 8th on the table with 30 points in their 20 outings. The Black Cats have only suffered four defeats so far, which is certainly an exceptional record. Regis Le Bris’s charges have been unbeaten in their last five league games.
The only problem for them is that they have not won any of their last four outings. While a draw against Manchester City and Tottenham in their last two outings will give them confidence, they do need to figure out how to claim all three points if they want to continue to push for a European spot. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Brentford
The home team will be without the services of Fabio Carvalho and Josh Dasilva because of a knee injury. Meanwhile, Frank Onyeka and Dango Ouattara are away on international duty for the AFCON. Apart from the quartet, everyone else should be available for selection.
The Bees will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Caoimhin Kelleher will take charge in goal. Michael Kayode and Rico Henry will feature as the full-backs, while Kristoffer Ajer will pair up with Nathan Collins in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Vitaly Janelt and Yehor Yarmolyuk will form the double pivot in the middle of the pitch. The central midfield duo will shield the backline and ensure they dominate the proceedings.
Mikkel Damsgaard will take charge as the number ten, while Mathias Jensen and Kevin Schade will feature on the flanks, providing width to their attacks. Finally, Having bagged a hat-trick last time out, Igor Thiago will be raring to go against Sunderland when he leads the line for Brentford.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Kelleher; Kayode, Ajer, Collins, Henry; Yarmolyuk, Janelt; Jensen, Damsgaard, Schade; Thiago
Sunderland
Regis Le Bris will be without the services of Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki, Bertrand Traore, Chemsdine Talbi, Arthur Masuaku and Reinildo Mandava, who are all away on international duty for the AFCON. Wilson Isidor is a doubt with a knock, while Aji Alese is out with a shoulder injury.
The Black Cats will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Robin Roefs will feature in goal. Trai Hume and Dennis Cirkin will feature as the full-backs, while Nordi Mukiele will partner with Omar Alderete in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Lutsharel Geertruida should pair up with former Arsenal skipper Granit Xhaka in the centre of the park. The duo will shield the backline and ensure Brentford don’t run the show.
Eliezer Mayenda and Simon Adingra will feature on the flanks, providing width to their attacks. Enzo Le Fée will take charge as the attacking midfielder, while Brian Brobbey will be the one leading the line.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Roefs; Hume, Mukiele, Alderete, Cirkin; Geertruida, Xhaka; Mayenda, Le Fee, Adingra; Brobbey
Key Stats
- Both Brentford and Sunderland have been unbeaten in their last five league matches.
- The Black Cats might be unbeaten, but they have played out four straight draws.
- Meanwhile, the Bees have won three out of their last four league outings.
- Brentford have an exceptional record at home. They have only lost one game in the 2025/26 season and have won four out of their last six (2 draws).
- Sunderland have only won two games away from the Stadium of Light this season.
Player to Watch
Igor Thiago
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Having bagged a hat-trick last time out against Everton, Thiago has to be the one to watch out for. After a debut campaign where he struggled to stay fit, the 24-year-old Brazilian striker has certainly turned things around.
He has 14 goals and an assist in his 20 league outings. After a run of six league games without a goal, he finally brought an end to his struggles with a well-worked hat-trick. He will be eager to add to his tally when he takes the field against Sunderland at home.
Prediction
Brentford 2-2 Sunderland
Brentford will head into this fixture with plenty of confidence, especially given their strong home form and recent momentum. They have been difficult to break down at the Gtech Community Stadium, and with Igor Thiago rediscovering his scoring touch, the Bees should have enough firepower to trouble a Sunderland defence that has shown resilience but struggled to turn draws into wins.
The Black Cats, however, have proved they can compete with top sides and will not be overawed by the occasion. Their disciplined structure and ability to stay compact should allow them to stay in the contest, even if periods of pressure are expected.
While Brentford may edge large spells, Sunderland’s stubbornness could once again come to the fore, setting up a closely fought encounter that ends with the points being shared. The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought 2-2 draw in this outing.