Brentford host Tottenham in the season opener, a fixture that has historically belonged to Spurs — four wins and a draw from the last five meetings. Roberto De Zerbi’s Tottenham line up with a dynamic front three of Richarlison, Mathys Tel and Mikey Moore, while injuries to…
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Sign inBrentford kick off their 2026/27 Premier League campaign at home to Tottenham on Saturday, 22 August, in a 5.30pm BST opener that pits Keith Andrews’ evolving Bees against Roberto De Zerbi’s new-look Spurs.
Brentford’s biggest fitness question hangs over left-back, where Rico Henry and Aaron Hickey have struggled to recapture peak form after long-term knee and hamstring injuries, according to The Athletic. Keane Lewis-Potter, who prefers a more advanced role, deputised admirably in pre-season and is primed to start against Spurs. Kristoffer Ajer returned to action in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Rennes and is pushing for minutes, though captain Nathan Collins and – when fit – Sepp van den Berg remain the preferred centre-back pairing. Van den Berg is sidelined with an injury expected to keep him out until November. In midfield, club-record signing Mamadou Sangare from Lens is likely to nudge Mathias Jensen out of the XI, while promising playmaker Antoni Milambo is unavailable as he continues recovery from an ACL injury suffered last October.
Tottenham’s major pre-season storyline has been the gradual return of James Maddison, who played 45 minutes as a false nine in a 2-2 draw with Hoffenheim. Maddison touched the ball 29 times in that half, his first football since an ACL injury limited him to a handful of late-season cameos last term. Manager Roberto De Zerbi has been cautious with the England international, but the Hoffenheim outing opens the door for involvement at Brentford. Pedro Porro, fresh from an excellent World Cup with Spain, has been flagged by the BBC as Spurs’ standout performer last season and their most reliable FPL asset heading into gameweek one.
Brentford completed pre-season with a 4-2 win over Rennes and a fixture against Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt. Igor Thiago scored in both friendlies after returning late from the World Cup, and his 22-goal Premier League campaign last season makes him the side’s attacking focal point. Callum Wilson provides experienced cover, but with Dango Ouattara and Kevin Schade also capable of playing centrally, Wilson’s minutes may be patchy. In midfield, Sangare – described by ex-Rapid Vienna sporting director Markus Katzer as “a mix between a six and an eight” – is expected to partner Yehor Yarmoliuk and Mikkel Damsgaard. With Thiago spearheading the attack, Brentford will look to exploit Spurs’ often high defensive line through quick transitions.
Thiago’s 181 FPL points in 2025/26 underlined a striker in devastating form, and his duel with Tottenham’s centre-halves will define large swathes of the contest. The Brazilian thrives on service into the penalty area and scored 13 of his 22 league goals from inside the box last season. Spurs’ defence, however, remains a work in progress under De Zerbi, with the Italian still searching for the right balance between possession dominance and defensive solidity. How Tottenham’s centre-backs cope with Thiago’s physicality and movement will dictate how freely the Bees can push up the pitch.
This is Tottenham’s first competitive match since De Zerbi took charge, and the early indications are that Mathys Tel – owned by fewer than 0.5 percent of FPL managers – could be a surprise favourite of the new boss, with the Frenchman deployed in a variety of attacking roles during pre-season. Dominic Solanke and Maddison both have injury histories that make them “wait and see” options for the opener, according to FPL analysts, but Porro’s set-piece delivery and crossing from right-back will be Spurs’ most immediate creative threat. The north Londoners hope to improve on last season’s relegation scare, and a positive start in west London would set that tone.
A fast, high-energy London derby on the opening weekend offers both sides a perfect temperature-check before fixtures start arriving at full Premier League pace on Saturday.
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