Preview: Brentford vs. Brighton & Hove Albion - prediction, team news, lineups

This will be the first top-flight meeting between the two sides, who have previously met in the second, third and fourth tiers of English football.

Match preview

Brentford are one of only seven Premier League clubs who remain unbeaten so far this season, claiming a win and two draws from their first three games, including a 1-1 result away at Aston Villa shortly before the international break.

Ivan Toney's first ever top-flight goal in the seventh minute was cancelled out just six minutes later by Emiliano Buendia, with both sides eventually forced to share the spoils.

The Bees could become the first maiden Premier League club since Portsmouth in 2003-04 to remain unbeaten in their opening four matches, if they were to claim at least a point on Saturday.

However, head coach Thomas Frank believes they will face their "toughest opponent" yet when they welcome Brighton to the Brentford Community Stadium.

Brentford have won just three of their last 11 meetings against the Seagulls, with their most recent win away at the Amex Stadium in September 2016.

Frank's side have impressed many in recent years and are currently enjoying the longest unbeaten run of any side in England's top four divisions, winning seven and drawing eight of their last 15 matches.

The Bees last tasted defeat on home soil in February, losing 2-0 against Barnsley, so they should be confident of claiming a positive result in front of their roaring supporters this weekend.

After claiming six points from ther opening three matches, Brighton are in high spirits and are looking to build on their strong start to the new campaign.

Despite suffering a 2-0 defeat to Everton last month, league victories against Burnley and Watford as well as beating Cardiff City in the League Cup, have given Graham Potter plenty to smile about.

Brighton only recorded nine Premier League victories last season, but a win on Saturday would see them reach a third of that total in just the opening four matches.

The Seagulls, however, will need to improve their form on the road if they are to come away with all three points this weekend. Potter's men have won just three of their 22 top-flight away games in London and are winless in nine in the capital since beating Arsenal 2-1 in December 2019.

They have also won just one of their last nine away league games against Brentford, with Saturday's clash their first visit since an entertaining 3-3 draw in February 2017.

Brighton will be relying on former Brentford striker Neal Maupay to provide the goals; the Frenchman scored 41 times for the Bees before moving to the South Coast for around £20m in 2019, where he has since found the net 20 times under Potter's management.

Brentford Premier League form:

Brentford form (all competitions):

Brighton & Hove Albion Premier League form:

Brighton & Hove Albion form (all competitions):

Team News

Brentford midfielder Josh Dasilva and defender Mads Bech Sorensen both remain out with respective hip and knee injuries.

Centre-backs Kristoffer Ajer, Pontus Jansson and Ethan Pinnock are set to remain in the back three, with Sergi Canos and Rico Henry to play on the flanks.

Midfielder Mathias Jensen, who missed the opening three matches of the new season due to injury, was fit to represent Denmark on international duty this month and could return to the starting lineup this weekend, alongside Christian Norgaard and Vitaly Janelt.

Toney, who has scored 21 goals so far this calendar year, is set to lead the line once again alongside Bryan Mbeumo.

As for Brighton, Potter is hoping to have a fully fit squad available before the end of this month, with a few players closing in on a return.

Right-back Tariq Lamptey, who last played for the Seagulls in mid-December, continued his rehabilitation from a hamstring injury over the international break and having trained with the first-team this week, he is hoping to be in consideration on Saturday.

Solly March has recovered from an injury which ruled him out of the game against Everton, though his position at left wing-back could be in jeopardy following the arrival of Spanish full-back Marc Cucurella, who joined the club from Getafe on deadline day.

Defender Dan Burn, meanwhile, is still suffering with a knee problem picked up during pre-season and is unlikely to feature this weekend.

Now that Danny Welbeck has returned to full fitness, he will be hoping to force his way into the starting lineup up front alongside Maupay.

Brentford possible starting lineup:

Raya; Ajer, Jansson, Pinnock; Canos, Jensen, Norgaard, Janelt, Henry; Toney, Mbeumo

Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:

Sanchez; Webster, Dunk, Duffy; Gross, Lallana, Bissouma, Cucurella; Mac Allister, Trossard; Maupay

We say: Brentford 1-1 Brighton & Hove Albion

Both sides will view this fixture as a winnable game and they will been keen to build on their respective strong starts to the new campaign with another three points on Saturday.

However, a closely-fought contest is set to be played out at the Brentford Community Stadium, where we can see the spoils being shared.