Tottenham vs Brentford Preview

• Draw or Tottenham win
• Both teams to score

Tottenham’s Struggles Against Top-Six Rivals

Tottenham will need to bounce back quickly after their recent midweek EFL Cup fixture as they gear up for a crucial Premier League clash against Brentford. It’s a particularly busy period for Spurs, who are in the middle of playing seven competitive matches in 22 days.

Their latest setback came in a narrow 1-0 loss to fierce rivals Arsenal, continuing their struggles against fellow top-six hopefuls. In fact, Spurs have lost each of their last six Premier League games as an underdog, underscoring their difficulty in competing with the league’s elite.

Ange Postecoglou’s side are enduring their worst start to a Premier League season since 2015/16, but the manager remains hopeful, having stated that he “always wins things in (his) second year.”

With tough away fixtures against Manchester United and Brighton looming, this home fixture against fellow Londoners Brentford becomes crucial. Historically, Spurs have struggled against the Bees, beating them just twice in their six meetings across the last three seasons (D3, L1).

Brentford’s Road Challenges and Confidence Boost

Brentford have secured all six of their Premier League points at home this season, but their away performances haven’t been without merit.

They’ve battled hard in difficult trips to Liverpool (L 2-0) and Manchester City (L 2-1), with head coach Thomas Frank labelling the performance against City as “world class.”

Pep Guardiola even praised Frank as “one of the best” managers in the world following that game, further boosting Brentford’s confidence ahead of this London derby.

The Bees will look to replicate their 3-1 win away to Spurs at the end of last season, but this time they’ll be without Yoane Wissa, one of the goal scorers from that match, who is sidelined with an ankle injury.

Frank acknowledged that Wissa’s absence leaves “a big hole” in the team, especially since he had netted Brentford’s last two Premier League goals.

Key Players to Watch

Cristian Romero (Tottenham)

Romero has shown an eye for goal in recent seasons, including a goal against Brentford last campaign. All four of his last goals have come at home, and with Spurs desperate for a win, there’s no better time for the defender to make a contribution at both ends of the pitch.

His main task, however, will be containing Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, who has scored against Spurs in their last two meetings.

Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford)

Mbeumo has become a key attacking outlet for Brentford, and with Wissa unavailable, even more responsibility will fall on his shoulders.

He’ll be looking to score against Tottenham for the third straight time, and his pace and creativity will be crucial to Brentford’s chances of securing a positive result.

Tottenham’s Need for Improvement and Brentford’s Resilience

• Tottenham’s recent form: Spurs are enduring their worst start to a Premier League season since 2015/16 and have lost their last six matches as an underdog.
• Head-to-head record: Tottenham have won just two of their last six meetings against Brentford across the last three seasons (D3, L1).
• Brentford’s away form: While all of Brentford’s points have come at home this season, they’ve put in strong performances in away defeats to Liverpool and Manchester City.
• Injury concerns: Brentford will be without Yoane Wissa, their recent goal scorer, leaving a gap in their attack.

Conclusion

Both Tottenham and Brentford will be looking to bounce back after their midweek EFL Cup outings, with Spurs in particular eager to end their poor run against top-six rivals.

Brentford, despite missing key players, come into this match with confidence, having performed admirably in their recent outings against top sides. While Tottenham are the favourites at home, Brentford’s resilience and recent success at Spurs make this a tricky encounter.

Prediction: A closely contested match, but Tottenham’s home advantage could see them edge out a narrow victory.

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Spurs v Brentford, 2024/25 | Premier League