Brentford will hit the road to square up against Sunderland in the fourth round of the EFL Cup at the Stadium of Light.
A struggling Sunderland side are all set to welcome Brentford to the Stadium of Light in a game that will decide who goes through to the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup. While the Black Cats are struggling in the Premier League, a positive result here could help them gain some momentum.
The home team are bottom of the table with just five points in their eight outings. They have won one and lost five of their league games. Meanwhile, the Black Cats secured a 1-0 win over Hull City in the third round to set up this tie.
Sunderland are winless in their last three games and are heading into this fixture on the back of a 0-0 draw against Leeds United. So, Regis Le Bris’s men need to put up a much improved performance to take down Brentford.
Speaking of the Bees, they are sixth in the Premier League with 11 points in their eight outings. The West London outfit have won just two league games but have secured five draws as well. Their only league defeat came at the hands of Liverpool around ten days ago.
Brentford failed to bounce back from that defeat as they could only manage a draw against Hull City last time out. They will be hoping to get their season back on track with a win in this cup fixture. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
The home side remain without the services of Daniel Ballard (thigh) and Romaine Mundle (knee) because of injury. Meanwhile, Kevin Danso remains suspended, while Thomas Meunier (hamstring) and Wilson Isidor (unspecified) are both major doubts for this fixture.
Sunderland are likely to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Brentford, with Melker Ellborg starting in goal. Nordi Mukiele and Dayann Methalie should occupy the full-back positions, while Luke O’Nien is expected to pair up with Omar Alderete at the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Jules Ahoka and Chris Rigg are likely to form the double pivot in the middle of the park, providing defensive cover while helping Sunderland progress the ball. Malick Fofana and Nilson Angulo should operate on the flanks, with Habib Diarra taking up the attacking midfield role behind Timur Tutyerov.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Ellborg; Mukiele, O’Nien, Alderete, Methalie; Ahoka, Rigg; Fofana, Diarra, Angulo; Tutyerov
Keith Andrews will be without the services of Antoni Milambo (knock), Joshua Dasilva (hamstring) and Kaye Furo (foot) for the midweek EFL Cup tie, while Yehor Yarmoluyk remains suspended.
Brentford are likely to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Sunderland, with Hakon Valdimarsson starting in goal. Aaron Hickey and El Hadji Malick Diouf should feature as the full-back positions, while Jannik Schuster will line up alongside Nathan Collins in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Mamadou Sangare and Vitaly Janelt are likely to form the double pivot in the centre of the pitch, providing defensive cover while helping Brentford control the tempo.
Jaidon Anthony and Mikkel Damsgaard should operate on the flanks, with Fabio Carvalho taking up the attacking midfield role behind Callum Wilson. The attacking quartet will look to link up and create goal-scoring opportunities.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Valdimarsson; Hickey, Schuster, Collins, Diouf; Sangare, Janelt; Anthony, Carvalho, Damsgaard; Wilson
The 34-year-old English striker has only had 30 minutes of Premier League action in his five outings so far. While he is not Brentford’s first-choice striker, Wilson is expected to get another start in the EFL Cup, where he has impressed so far.
Wilson has started both of Brentford’s cup fixtures this season, scoring in each of them. The Englishman’s recent form and wealth of experience make him one to watch, and he will be eager to continue his scoring streak and play a decisive role in helping the Bees progress to the next round.
Sunderland have struggled for consistency in the Premier League, and their recent performances suggest they could find it difficult to contain Brentford. The Black Cats will hope home advantage helps them raise their game, but their injury concerns and lack of attacking fluency could prove costly.
Brentford, meanwhile, have been difficult to beat this season, and their attacking options should give them the edge against a struggling Sunderland defence. The Bees should have enough quality to create clear-cut opportunities. Regis Le Bris’s men side may find the net, but the visitors look better equipped to secure a place in the quarter-finals. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for the away team.
