Premier League clubs West Ham United and Brentford will square up against each other in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Monday evening.
Rivals West Ham United and Brentford will both be eyeing a spot in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup when they battle it out at the London Stadium. While the Hammers’ priority is to survive in the top flight, the in-form Brentford side would love to go the distance in the cup competition.
The home team have been far from their best this season. They are 18th in the Premier League with just 28 points in their 29 outings. With only a handful of games to go, Nuno Espirito Santo’s team need to step up and deliver. They did get the desired result last time out as they won 1-0 against Fulham.
The Hammers will be looking to build on that result when they host Brentford in the 5th round of the FA Cup. West Ham were lucky to have gotten the better of Burton Albion in the last round, but they will need more than just luck if they are to get the job done against the Bees.
The visitors have been in fine form this season. They are seventh in the league with 44 points in their 29 outings. The Bees are in contention for a European spot, and they would also love to go deep in the FA Cup. While they could only manage a 1-0 win over Macclesfield in the last round, they did dominate the proceedings.
Brentford are heading into this one on the back of a disappointing 0-0 draw against Bournemouth and will be eager to return to winning ways when they hit the road to face a struggling West Ham outfit. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
West Ham United
Freddie Potts is back available after serving a suspension last time out, but they do remain without the services of Pablo Felipe (calf) and Lukasz Fabianski (lower back). With an important league game against Manchester City coming up, Nuno Espirito Santo might make a few changes to his preferred XI here.
The home team will line up in a 4-4-2 formation, where Alphonse Areola will take charge in goal. Kyle Walker-Peters and Oliver Scarles will be the full-backs for the Hammers, while Konstantinos Mavropanos will start alongside Axel Disasi at the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville will take charge on the flanks. The duo will provide support to the full-backs and width to their attacks. Meanwhile, Mateus Fernandes and Soungoutou Magassa will take charge in a more central role.
The duo will look to ensure Brentford midfielders do not run the show. Finally, Callum Wilson should form the strike partnership with Taty Castellanos in the final third.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Areola; Walker-Peters, Mavropanos, Disasi, Scarles; Bowen, Fernandes, Magassa, Summerville; Wilson, Castellanos
Brentford
Rico Henry pulled his hamstring against Bournemouth and has joined Antoni Milambo (knee), Aaron Hickey (thigh), Joshua Dasilva (knee), Vitaly Janelt (ankle), and Fabio Carvalho (knee) on the sidelines. Meanwhile, Reiss Nelson (calf) has a slight chance of making it into the squad.
The Bees will stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation, where Hakon Valdimarsson will take charge in goal. Michael Kayode and Keane Lewis-Potter will be the full-backs for the visitors, while Ethan Pinnock will pair up with Kristoffer Ajer in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Jordan Henderson will form the double pivot alongside Yehor Yarmolyuk in the centre of the park. The duo will look to shield the backline and ensure they control the tempo of the game.
Mikkel Damsgaard will take up the role of an attacking midfielder, while Dango Ouattara and Kevin Schade will feature outwide on the flanks. The highly sought-after Igor Thiago will be leading the line for Brentford.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Valdimarsson; Kayode, Pinnock, Ajer, Lewis-Potter; Yarmoliuk, Henderson; Ouattara, Damsgaard, Schade; Thiago
Key Stats
- Both teams have an identical record heading into this fixture, as they have won three out of their last five in all competitions and have only lost once in that period.
- The two teams last met in October in the Premier League, with Brentford securing a comfortable 2-0 win.
- The Bees have been unbeaten in their last five away games.
- The Hammers have lost each of their last three FA Cup fifth-round ties.
- Brentford have reached the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time as a Premier League team.
Player to Watch
Igor Thiago
While injuries ruined his debut campaign, the Brazilian striker has bounced back in some fashion. He has been one of the most consistent performers for Brentford and is one of the major reasons why they are pushing for a European spot.
The 24-year-old has been involved in 30 games across competitions and has contributed towards 20 goals. He is all set to make his first appearance in the FA Cup this term and will be eager to help his team book a place in the quarter-finals.
Prediction
West Ham United 1-2 Brentford
West Ham United will be hoping to build on their morale-boosting win over Fulham and use the home advantage to their benefit. The Hammers know the FA Cup could offer a welcome distraction from their league struggles, and they are expected to approach this contest with plenty of determination.
However, Brentford have been the more consistent side this season and possess a greater attacking threat heading into this tie. If the Bees manage to control the midfield and make the most of their chances in the final third, they should have the edge. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for the away team.
