Brentford host Sunderland at the Gtech Community Stadium on 5 September 2026, a Matchweek 3 Premier League fixture with Keith Andrews looking to keep his side's unbeaten start intact. Brentford sit fifth on four points while Sunderland are eleventh on three.
Andrews took charge on 27 June 2025 after replacing Thomas Frank and has settled on an attacking, transition heavy style through the first weeks of the season, while Régis Le Bris, who replaced caretaker Mike Dodds at Sunderland in July 2024, has taken a more measured approach to building his side. Saturday is their first competitive meeting.
Brentford arrive unbeaten after a 3-0 win over Tottenham on 22 August and a 1-1 draw at Leeds on 30 August, two games that looked nothing alike in how they were managed. Sunderland have looked like two different teams in as many matches: they edged Fulham 1-0 on 30 August but were beaten 2-1 at Ipswich a week earlier, a result that showed how quickly things unravel once their midfield loses its shape.
Brentford go into this short handed, with Antoni Milambo out until October with a knee injury, Sepp van den Berg sidelined with a groin problem around the same timeframe and both Mathias Jensen and Josh Dasilva doubtful, forcing Andrews into rotations across the back four and midfield.
Sunderland's injury picture is no cleaner. Habib Diarra is a doubt in central midfield due to a thigh concern and Simon Adingra is out on loan at Ajax, a loss that hurts most on the right flank where his pace has created most of Sunderland's best chances. Le Fée carries more of the creative burden as a result, operating from deeper than his natural position.
With both sides expected in a 4-2-3-1, Brentford's shape prioritises rapid transitions, Igor Thiago leading the line as the lone striker yet to score in two appearances. Schade's willingness to run off the last defender rather than check back makes him the likeliest outlet for Brentford's first time balls over the top and Nathan Collins has increasingly been used to step into midfield and drive play forward from deep. For Sunderland, Granit Xhaka anchors everything as the holding midfielder, responsible for protecting the back four and setting tempo, while Le Fée drops into the No.10 space to connect with Wilson Isidor on the break whenever Brentford push men forward.
Collins against Isidor in the air will determine whether Brentford's set pieces pay off, while Schade's pace against Sunderland's left sided defender could be where the game gets decided. Brentford's double pivot will look to pin Xhaka with runners arriving late into the space behind him, with second balls won in the home side's favour bringing Thiago into combination play in tight areas.
Brentford's back four will have to rotate more often in build-up with Milambo and van den Berg missing, which could invite a higher press from Sunderland early on. If Jensen and Dasilva both miss out too, Andrews may go with a more conservative midfield pairing that slows the transitions but tightens the shape against counters. Sunderland, without Diarra's ability to win the ball back high and play forward immediately, will struggle to maintain their press intensity, which should leave gaps centrally as the game opens up.
Brentford have the better of this fixture at home, winning 3-0 on 7 January 2026 while Sunderland took a 2-1 win in the corresponding away fixture on 30 August 2025, so Le Bris's side have shown they can hurt the home team on the break.
Corners and free kicks will likely target Collins and Thiago, with Schade arriving late into the box as a secondary option. Sunderland, without Adingra's aerial presence, will have more on their centre backs to manage those situations and Brentford's most probable route to goal in open play is exploiting the transition if Sunderland push men forward chasing an equaliser.
Brentford 2-1 Sunderland. Without Diarra anchoring their midfield, Sunderland will struggle to sustain the pressing intensity they showed against Fulham and though Isidor's pace in behind and Le Fée's passing range on the break make them dangerous every time they win the ball in their own half, it will not be enough if they cannot stay in the game. With Collins free to attack corners and Schade offering a run channel in behind, Brentford have two clear ways to score that Sunderland, short of their best midfielder, will find hard to contain for 90 minutes. A Schade run or a corner is the most probable way the game gets settled.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
