BRENTFORD PREVIEW

Sunderland host Brentford in our third Premier League match of the season, hoping to bounce back after a defeat on the road to Burnley and exiting the League Cup to third tier Huddersfield Town. Here’s all the information on our opponents:

LAST SEASON AND FORM

Last season Brentford finished 10th in the Premier League, they reached the quarter final of the League Cup and went out in the third round of the FA Cup. They’ve played three games so far this season, losing to Nottingham Forest on opening day, following this up with a win over Aston Villa and then beating Bournemouth in the EFL Cup. Fabio Carvalho and Igor Thiago scored the goals in a clean sheet win in the LC and Dango Ouattara scored the only goal of the game against Villa.

THE MANAGER

44-year-old Keith Andrews is in charge of the Bees, having taken the job this summer to replace the outgoing Thomas Frank. Previously, he’s been the assistant at Milton Keynes Dons, Sheffield United and the Republic of Ireland U21s and senior team. Before taking the role as head coach of the West London side, he was their set piece coach. He also had a playing career as a defensive midfielder, turning out for: Wolverhampton Wanderers, Oxford United, Stoke City, Walsall, Hull City, MK Dons, Blackburn Rovers, Ipswich Town, West Bromwich Albion, Bolton Wanderers, Brighton and Hove Albion and Watford. He was Mk Dons’ Player of the Year at one point, in the same season he was named in the PFA Team of the Year for League Two, awarded the accolade of League Two’s Player of the Year, won the fourth tier title and the Football League Trophy, 2007/08. He also won an automatic promotion to the Championship with the same club later in his career and was the FAI Senior International Player of the Year in 2012.

KEY PLAYERS

Out of players left at the club following last season, Yoanne Wissa was their top scorer in 2024/25 with 20 goals but he’s not going to be involved as he’s pushing for a move away from the club. Left winger Kevin Schade scored 12 in all competitions and is turning up for work. Attacking midfielder Mikkel Damsgaard was their top playmaker with 11 assists. Striker Igor Thiago has already found the back of the net twice this season but none of their players have registered more than one assist yet. Their number one goalkeeper is 26-year-old Ireland international Caoimhin Kelleher, who joined the club this summer. Other new additions include the aforementioned left winger Dango Ouattara, attacking midfielder Antoni Milambo and right back Michael Kayode. Former Sunderland academy product Jordan Henderson signed on a free after recently departing Ajax.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS

Our last meeting with Brentford came in February 2018, when we lost 2-0 at the Stadium of Light in the Championship. You’ve got to go back to 1988 to see the last time we were on the right side of a win versus the London club, we beat them 2-0 at Roker Park via goals from Gary Owers and Keith Bertschin in the Third Division. We last faced Brentford in the top flight in May 1947, we beat them 2-1 at home on that day, with our goalscorers being Dickie Davis and Eddie Burbanks. Our overall record versus Brentford is played 19, won nine, drawn four and lost six.

PREDICTION

We need to win this game in my opinion, it’s one of our most winnable games on paper at least. That doesn’t mean much though at this level and three points will come at a premium, they’ve got a very good squad and have won their last two against Premier League opposition. We also need to bounce back after not getting anything out of our last two matches against opponents who we really should have gotten something from if we want to keep the mood optimistic (be that a point or cup progression). If we are going to stay up the bulk of our points will likely come from home games. I’m going to be optimistic and say we win 1-0 scoring a goal around the half hour mark.