Brentford v Newcastle United preview
Saturday 7 December – A 3pm kick-off
The travelling Toon Army will once again be racking up the miles today, as they head down to Brentford for a traditional 3pm kick-off.
Newcastle will be looking to build on a superb performance midweek against Liverpool, whilst Brentford will be hoping to put a poor defeat away to Aston Villa behind them. They do however have a brilliant home record, so NUFC will have to be at their very best to take maximum points from this one.
Form
Whilst NUFC players and supporters alike enjoyed the midweek draw with Liverpool, the last six matches have still only seen two wins, two draws and two defeats for the Toon. These six matches have generated eight points and seen United hit the back of the net on nine occasions. We currently sit twelfth in the table and a win coupled with favourable results elsewhere could see us as high as fifth come Saturday evening. A disastrous weekend could have us as low as thirteenth.
Brentford have experienced three wins, two draws and just the one defeat in their past six games. They have earned eleven points and scored thirteen goals. At home this season they are unbeaten, having won six and drawn one of their seven games. They are currently eleventh in the league and a win could also have them up to fifth place, should all results go their way.
Last time out
What a match for the Toon on Wednesday night!
A pulsating topsy-turvy encounter with Liverpool that had a little bit of everything.
Isak opened the scoring with a thunderbolt to give the Toon a half-time lead. This was an absolute beauty that simply flew past the keeper. Back came Liverpool with an equaliser, before Antony Gordon restored the lead. Liverpool hit back with two strikes from in-form Mo Salah and looked to have won the match before Fabian Schar slid home a glorious equaliser right at the death.
Fabian Schar Goal Newcastle Liverpool Wilson van Dijk
Brentford didn’t have the best of matches midweek. They went away to a struggling Aston Villa and were soundly beaten 3-1. They showed some heart to pull a goal back having gone three down but, at present, they are heavily reliant on home form for goals and points.
Stat attack!
Toon have won their last three away games with Brentford, scoring eight goals and conceding three in the process.
Brentford have only ever won three home games against Newcastle in their entire history and none of those have come in the top flight.
Newcastle have won four of their past five visits to Brentford, the only defeat being a 1-0 League Cup Quarter Final loss under Steve Bruce in 2020.
Memorable match
In April 2023, Newcastle were trailing 1-0 away at Brentford and really struggling. Old boy Ivan Toney had opened the scoring, missed a penalty and had one disallowed in an incredible first half.
Newcastle roared back in the second half with a much improved performance.
First, Joelinton burst into the box and forced an own goal from their ‘keeper. The best was still to come – Callum Wilson went on a mazy run and played the ball to Isak on the edge of the area. The Swedish superstar didn’t even need to take a touch, he simply smashed an outrageous effort into the top corner for one of the best goals he’s ever scored for NUFC (and that’s saying something!). This was a strike fit to win any match. There was still time for Wilson to have an effort disallowed as the Toon cemented their place as contenders for the Champions League places with their fifth win on the bounce. Final score Brentford 1-2 Newcastle
Played for both
Sir Les Ferdinand – a little known fact is that Toon royalty Sir Les played three times for Brentford on loan from Queens Park Rangers back in 1988. The legendary striker failed to find the net and returned to QPR before signing for NUFC in 1995. The rest, as they say, is history. Two years, fifty goals, two second place Premier League finishes and many happy memories. His sale to Tottenham in 1997 remains one of the worst footballing decisions of NUFC in living memory.
Carl Cort showed early promise when signed by Sir Bobby in 2000. The England under-21 striker took just four minutes of his home debut to find the net with a powerful header. Unfortunately, his time at the Toon was plagued with injuries and we never really saw the best of him. He played thirty one matches for Brentford between 2009-2011, scoring six goals.
Ivan Toney joined the Toon early in his career but struggled to break into the first team. After a number of loan moves, he signed for Peterborough and then Brentford, scoring sixty seven league goals for the Bees before moving to the Saudi Pro League in the summer.
Managers
Eddie Howe after a pulsating 3-3 draw with Liverpool –
“How do I feel? Positive, that was much better from us. You know with the quality Liverpool have off the bench we could have an issue and that’s what happened. But our mental quality came to the fore and we got the equaliser. We had chances to make it 2-0, we scored three goals and looked dynamic and energetic. I am really proud. We went toe-to-toe and matched them, it’s our best of the season. Our game plan was to be ourselves which is difficult against a team like Liverpool, it’s a delicate balance. Alexander Isak was really good tonight, if we get our players firing we are some team.”
Alexander Isak Goal Newcastle Liverpool Virgil van Dijk
Thomas Frank after a 3-1 defeat away to Aston Villa –
“I definitely want to argue the penalty. For me I don’t think it’s a penalty. I think Ollie kicked back and hit Ethan. There was also an arm on the shoulder. That’s not the reason we lost, that’s very important. I know all the headlines will be, ‘Thomas Frank doesn’t think it’s a penalty, blah, blah’, but I hope it’s clear we have no excuses. I did want to highlight though the situation that didn’t go our way. The players have a great mentality and they keep believing but on the day we didn’t have the final product.”
Charity
As it is an away match, Newcastle United fans will not be collecting opposite the Gallowgate end, for the food bank. However, you can still help out and all online cash donations are very much appreciated. For further info and/or to donate to the food bank online go HERE.
Prediction
Which Newcastle United will we see this weekend?
Play like we did against Liverpool and surely we’ll be celebrating a victory long into the night.
Play like we did last weekend away to Palace however and it could be a long, frustrating journey home for the travelling Toon Army.
I’m going to stay positive and back us to secure a fine away win. Brentford 1-2 Newcastle.