Brentford vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers: Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips

Brentford are coming into this game in better form than Wolves, despite not pulling up trees themselves.

Both teams to score has occurred in all of the last five games of both teams, while over 2.5 goals have been scored in four of the last five games of both teams so expect this game to be full of goals.

Brentford have lost only one of their last nine league games on home soil, while Wolves are winless in their last nine league games on the road. We do, then, fancy Brentford to edge what should be an entertaining affair. Brentford 3-2 Wolves.

Brentford will host Wolverhampton Wanderers this Saturday in the Premier League, with the away side in particular in dire need of a result.

• Date: 05/10/2024
• Kick-off time: 15:00
• Location: Brentford Community Stadium, Brentford

Brentford come into this game sitting 11th in the Premier League with seven points from six matches. Thomas Frank's side have made a steady, if not spectacular, start to the season, which will give fans hope that the team can finish in the top half of the table, which would mark a very decent return for the Bees. Given the calibre of opposition they have already faced, facing away trips to Liverpool, Manchester City, and Tottenham Hotspur, there is a sense that Brentford have the potential to start picking up points at a faster rate as the season progresses.

The Bees have shown glimpses of quality in their performances, and despite some tough results, Frank’s team look more than capable of securing a solid mid-table finish, which would mark a step forward after a less impressive campaign last year.

Brentford have also had pretty rotten luck when it comes to injuries, with Thomas Frank unable to call on a number of big-name players so far this season.

Of the players who have played, one of the standout performers for Brentford so far this season has been Bryan Mbeumo, the 25-year-old forward who has been in exceptional form, netting five goals in six matches. His pace and finishing ability have made him one of the key attacking outlets for Brentford, and he's no doubt the man most likely to get on the scoresheet for the home side this weekend. Mbeumo’s consistency in front of goal has been vital for Brentford, particularly in the absence of striker Ivan Toney, who departed the club for the Saudi Pro League in the summer.

However, there is a growing concern among Brentford supporters regarding the team’s ability to hold onto leads. Remarkably, the Bees have scored in the opening minute of each of their last three matches, yet they have only managed to collect a single point from those games. Their inability to capitalise on early dominance has frustrated both fans and Frank alike, and arguably suggests that while Brentford have the firepower to trouble opposition defences, their game management when leading has room for improvement.

For Wolves, the situation is much more precarious. Gary O’Neil’s side find themselves rooted to the foot of the table, having taken just one point from their opening six matches. It's been a fairly disastrous start for Wolves, who have looked frail defensively, despite still posing a decent threat going forward. Their current form is placing immense pressure on O’Neil, whose job is already under serious scrutiny, and the need for a positive result and performance this weekend cannot be overstated.

While it is important to acknowledge that Wolves have faced an incredibly tough run of fixtures, having played against Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle United, Aston Villa, and Liverpool, the pressure to start picking up points is undeniable. Wolves have had, arguably, the hardest start of any Premier League team, and the board will be aware of the toll that repeated defeats can take on the morale of the players. However, the fixtures are now beginning to ease slightly, and the expectation will be that Wolves start to turn their fortunes around before they fall too far adrift of the rest of the pack.

Despite their poor form, there have been moments in games where Wolves have shown flashes of quality, but they have often been let down by a porous defence, with the attacking aspect of the team's play remaining predominantly decent. The team’s frailties at the back have been a recurring theme, with Wolves conceding 16 goals in their opening six matches, averaging 2.66 goals conceded per game, a level of defensive vulnerability that will need to be addressed if they are to have any chance of escaping the bottom three in the coming weeks.

Gary O’Neil, who took over from Julen Lopetegui at the start of last season, may not have much time remaining to salvage his job. His future at the club may hinge on the next few fixtures, starting with Brentford, as another defeat could force the Wolves board into making a difficult decision regarding his tenure.

This game will not be televised live to UK audiences, but partial radio coverage will be provided by BBC Radio West Midlands.

Brentford Team News:

The Bees are still without forward Yoane Wissa who is absent with an ankle injury. Gustavo Nunes, Mathias Jensen, Aaron Hickey, Igor Thiago, Josh Dasilva and Rico Henry complete what is a lengthy injury absentee list.

Christian Nørgaard is also a doubt after missing the last two games with injury, so it feels unlikely we'll see any changes to the XI from the weekend's game owing to a lack of options.

Predicted lineup: Flekken; Van den Berg, Collins, Pinnock, Ajer; Schade, Damsgaard, Janelt, Lewis-Potter; Carvalho, Mbeumo.

Wolves Team News:

Wolves are missing a few important names as Yerson Mosquera, Bastien Meupiyou, Boubacar Traoré, Enso González and Saša Kalajdžić all remain on the sidelines.

Gary O'Neil could stick with the same side that started the game against Liverpool at the weekend following what was a decent performance.

Predicted lineup: Johnstone; Semedo, S. Bueno, T. Gomes, Aït-Nouri; André; Bellegarde, Lemina, Gomes, Cunha; Larsen.

Brentford's latest game was a 1-1 draw with West Ham United. The Bees started the game excellently, taking the lead in the first minute through Bryan Mbeumo. Throughout the first half, the Bees were largely the better side, but West Ham came back into it in the second and equalised through Tomáš Souček. In what was largely a scrappy encounter, a draw was probably a fair result.

Prior to that, Brentford lost 3-1 away at Tottenham Hotspur, won 3-1 against Leyton Orient, lost 2-1 to Manchester City and beat Southampton 3-1.

Wolves' most recent outing saw them fall to a 1-2 defeat to Liverpool. Despite the defeat, it was largely a spirited performance from the home side who had the better of the opening exchanges. However, Liverpool opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time and despite Wolves equalising in the 56th minute through Rayan Aït-Nouri, Liverpool retook the lead through a Mohamed Salah penalty just five minutes later.

That result followed a 3-1 defeat away at Aston Villa, a 3-2 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion in the EFL Cup, a 1-2 loss to Newcastle United and a 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest.

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