Sports activities Mole previews Sunday’s Premier League conflict between Brentford and West Ham United, together with predictions, group information and potential lineups.
Contemporary from acquiring a first-leg benefit of their Europa Convention League semi-final with AZ Alkmaar, West Ham United return to Premier League motion in opposition to London rivals Brentford on the Gtech Neighborhood Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Hammers edged previous Dutch powerhouses AZ 2-1 on the London Stadium on Thursday, whereas the Bees’ most up-to-date encounter resulted in a 1-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield.
Match preview
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A 3-game unbeaten run for Brentford was dropped at a swift finish upon their go to to Merseyside final weekend, the place a Thirteenth-minute Mohamed Salah purpose proved decisive at hand Liverpool their sixth Premier League win on the bounce.
The Bees briefly thought that that they had restored parity late on within the first half when Bryan Mbeumo gave Virgil van Dijk the spin earlier than discovering the far nook, however an offside choice saved the Reds’ bacon, as Brentford’s European hopes dwindled as soon as once more.
The hosts’ back-to-back successes over Chelsea and Nottingham Forest had left their fellow continental chasers wanting over their shoulders, however Thomas Frank‘s group sit in ninth place with simply three video games left to go, 5 factors under Brighton & Hove Albion having performed two video games extra.
Not like their upcoming opponents within the present season, Brentford can largely neglect about any flights throughout Europe subsequent time period as they go about fixing a patchy spell of residence type, which has seen the Bees win simply two of their final six on the Gtech Neighborhood Stadium.
Nevertheless, solely Arsenal and Newcastle United have crushed Frank’s males this season on their very own soil, the place Brentford have each scored and conceded in every of their final six Premier League affairs, and the Bees would do nicely to capitalise on West Ham’s European fatigue.
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Michail Antonio‘s quantity was very practically up – fairly actually on the digital board – earlier than the West Ham talisman accomplished fairly the turnaround on Thursday evening, as David Moyes‘s males put together to take a one-goal result in the Netherlands subsequent week.
Just a few moments after a perceived foul on Lucas Paqueta went unpunished, West Ham fell behind to AZ by means of Tijjani Reijnders‘s long-range strike, earlier than Stated Benrahma‘s pinpoint penalty and Antonio’s tap-in noticed West Ham glean a slender benefit within the English capital.
Such a buffer is hardly decisive forward of subsequent week’s second leg, however consideration now turns to the relegation dogfight within the Premier League, because the Fifteenth-placed Hammers are nonetheless not mathematically protected heading into the weekend – sitting seven away from the drop zone with three video games remaining.
Nevertheless, ought to Leicester Metropolis and Leeds United each lose this weekend – not an unattainable situation as they face Liverpool and Newcastle United respectively – West Ham’s survival might be confirmed with two video games to spare, and a hard-fought 1-0 win over Manchester United final weekend edged Moyes’s facet ever nearer to retaining their top-flight standing.
The Hammers’ final two away video games versus Crystal Palace and Manchester City each resulted in defeat, although, they usually have additionally been crushed of their three Premier League clashes to this point with Brentford, though their FA Cup third-round showdown in January resulted in a 1-0 triumph for Moyes’s males.
Brentford Premier League type:
West Ham United Premier League type:
West Ham United type (all competitions):
Crew Information
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Brentford left-back Rico Henry appeared to maintain a hand harm of their defeat to Liverpool final week, however there’s nothing to counsel that he won’t be out there on Sunday, as Frank works round his 4 recognized absentees as soon as extra.
Keane Lewis-Potter (knee), Christian Norgaard (Achilles), Thomas Strakosha (calf) and outgoing captain Pontus Jansson (thigh) are all confined to the therapy room, and Frank ought to think about a formation change after making an attempt to quell Liverpool with a five-man backline at Anfield.
Such an strategy practically paid dividends, however Kevin Schade and Yoane Wissa will each eye recollects to the assault if Zanka is sacrificed in a swap to a four-man rearguard.
Following his game-winning purpose in opposition to AZ, fears have been raised when Antonio was seen limping closely on the finish of the sport, though it’s unclear how extreme the striker’s affliction is.
In any case, Moyes will certainly keep away from risking Antonio forward of the second leg of their ECL conflict, whereas Gianluca Scamacca (knee) and Vladimir Coufal (thigh) are particular absentees for this London derby, and Angelo Ogbonna is combating to get better from sickness in time for the weekend.
With their survival all however assured, Moyes will little question ponder a number of adjustments for the go to to Brentford, as all of Emerson Palmieri, Manuel Lanzini, Pablo Fornals and Danny Ings push for recollects to the XI. Lukasz Fabianski can even come again in for Alphonse Areola because the final line of defence.
Brentford potential beginning lineup:
Raya; Hickey, Mee, Pinnock, Henry; Dasilva, Janelt, Jensen; Schade, Toney, Mbeumo
West Ham United potential beginning lineup:
Fabianski; Johnson, Zouma, Aguerd, Emerson; Rice, Soucek; Bowen, Lanzini, Fornals; Ings
We are saying: Brentford 1-0 West Ham United
With jellied legs from their midweek exertions and recent issues over Antonio’s health, West Ham could come up brief in opposition to a Brentford facet which can be seldom outclassed on their very own patch.
The Bees gave Liverpool run for his or her cash at Anfield, and with West Ham practically residence and dry within the Premier League, the results of this recreation ought to pale into insignificance for Moyes’s males as they prioritise their continental commitments.
For information evaluation of the almost certainly outcomes, scorelines and extra for this match please click on right here.
