Brentford host Sunderland at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday afternoon in a crucial Premier League fixtures.
Keith Andrews’s Bees have taken four points from their opening two league games and sit in the division’s top five, while Regis Le Bris’s Sunderland arrive on the back of a 1-0 win over Fulham.
Sunderland won the reverse fixture at the Stadium of Light last August, Wilson Isidor heading home a stoppage-time winner, but Brentford turned the tables when the sides met again in January. Igor Thiago’s brace and a Yehor Yarmoliuk strike gave the Bees a 3-0 win at the Gtech, a result that extended Sunderland’s winless run specifically at this venue to four matches.
The visitors have also lost their last three Premier League away games in London, conceding three goals in each. Both clubs strengthened significantly on deadline day: Brentford added left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf from West Ham for £35m, while Sunderland beat off a late hijack attempt from Crystal Palace to sign Belgian winger Malick Fofana from Lyon and loaned in defender Kevin Danso from Tottenham Hotspur.
Brentford vs Sunderland – Match preview and team news
- Date: Saturday, 5 September 2026
- Kick-off: 15:00 BST
- Venue: Gtech Community Stadium
- Referee: Thomas Bramall
- VAR: Timothy Wood
- Last meeting: Brentford 3-0 Sunderland (Premier League, 7 January 2026)
Team News
Brentford
Antoni Milambo, Sepp van den Berg, Mathias Jensen and Josh Dasilva all remain unavailable through injury. New signing El Hadji Malick Diouf was an unused substitute against Leeds and may again have to make do with a place on the bench, with Keane Lewis-Potter retaining the left-back spot. Igor Thiago continues to lead the line despite being without a goal this season, and Keith Andrews may again turn to Dango Ouattara ahead of Jaidon Anthony on the right.
Sunderland
Habib Diarra will miss around six to eight weeks with a hamstring injury sustained against Fulham, while Simon Adingra has left on loan to Ajax after an ankle issue. Deadline-day arrivals Malick Fofana and Kevin Danso are both in line for their first involvement, though Regis Le Bris was non-committal on selection, saying simply “we’ll see.” New signing Dayann Methalie is also available.
Form
Brentford
Brentford have won four of a possible six points from their opening two Premier League matches, beating Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 before drawing 1-1 at Leeds, and sit in the division’s top five. They have also been prolific in front of goal, racking up 48 shots in the league so far, second only to Manchester United, while keeping five home clean sheets in 2026 already.
Sunderland
Sunderland recovered from an opening-day defeat at Ipswich Town to beat Fulham 1-0, Wilson Isidor scoring the winner shortly after coming off the bench. The Black Cats have been defensively resolute, conceding just three shots on target in their two league games, second only to champions Arsenal, though their away form in the capital has been a persistent weak spot.
Predicted lineups
Brentford predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Kelleher; Kayode, Ajer, Collins, Lewis-Potter; Janelt, Sangare; Ouattara, Damsgaard, Schade; Thiago
Sunderland predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Roefs; Meunier, Mukiele, Ballard, Reinildo; Xhaka, Sadiki; Fofana, Le Fee, Angulo; Isidor
How to watch Brentford vs Sunderland?
The match falls under the traditional 3pm Saturday blackout and has not been selected for live television coverage in the UK.
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