Brentford vs Sunderland

Brentford host Sunderland in round three of the Premier League on Saturday, 5 September 2026, with the hosts looking to maintain a perfect start and the visitors chasing their first points of the new campaign. The Bees swept aside Tottenham Hotspur on the opening weekend, while Sunderland fell to a narrow defeat at Ipswich Town.

Team News and Injury Latest

Brentford remain without defender Sepp van den Berg (groin) and midfielder Antoni Milambo (knee). Yegor Yarmoliuk is a minor doubt after picking up a knock, although some reports suggest he could be available. That core aside, Thomas Frank has a settled squad and may name the same XI that dismantled Tottenham 3-0 – Vitaly Janelt, Keane Lewis-Potter and Michael Kayode all got on the scoresheet and are expected to start again.

Sunderland will be missing two influential figures. Left winger Simon Adingra is sidelined for approximately six weeks with an ankle injury, and summer signing Dayann Methalie serves a one-match suspension carried over from a yellow-card accumulation in France. Centre-back Omar Alderete, who appeared off the bench at Ipswich after his World Cup exploits, is fully fit and could slot straight into the back four. Defensive midfielder Jules Ahoka, another new arrival, is in contention to make his debut from the bench.

Brentford Form Guide

The Bees’ recent Premier League form reads L W L D W, rounded off by that eye-catching 3-0 win over Spurs. Janelt provided a goal and two chances created from central midfield, while right wing-back Kayode attempted four shots and looked a constant threat breaking forward. At home, Brentford have taken seven points from their last four top-flight outings, and another victory would give them their first two-win start to a Premier League season.

Sunderland Form Guide

Sunderland’s return to the top flight began with a 2-1 defeat at Portman Road, where defensive lapses undid a spirited response. Nilson Angulo’s equaliser cancelled out an early Ipswich goal, but the visitors were undone by a costly loose pass and eventually conceded a late winner. The result meant they head to west London with a record of L D D W L across their last five league matches, dating back to the end of their promotion campaign. Right-back Trai Hume created three chances in that opener – more than any other Sunderland player – and will again be asked to supply striker Brian Brobbey.

Key Battle: Michael Kayode vs Reinildo Mandava

Brentford’s right-sided thrust comes largely through Kayode, whose goal and four shots against Tottenham showed a wing-back willing to go beyond his defensive brief. Sunderland’s left-back Reinildo Mandava, known for his one-on-one duels, will have to squeeze the space and limit the overlap. How well Sunderland handle that flank could dictate how frequently the Bees create high-quality chances.

Brentford are looking to build early momentum before facing a tricky run of fixtures, while Sunderland will view this as a chance to get off the mark before a home clash with Fulham. A clean-sheet away day would go a long way towards settling the Black Cats’ early-season nerves.