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Brentford will host a revitalised Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Gtech Community Stadium on Wednesday night in the Premier League in an attempt to snap a troubling three-match losing streak.
The Black Country team is coming off a victory over Chelsea on Christmas Eve, and the Bees have had a whole week to get ready for their celebratory matchup with Wolves.
Brentford has been given ten days to reflect on their 2-1 Premier League loss to Unai Emery’s title-chasing Aston Villa on December 10.
The loss brought the Bees’ current losing streak to three games, their worst run of short-term form since April. This is due to Manchester City’s participation in the Club World Cup.
Thomas Frank’s team led at the Gtech after former Hull City starlet Keane Lewis-Potter scored his first goal of the premier league season.
However, Ben Mee’s dismissal in the second half altered the game’s outcome, as the Villans scored late goals through Alex Moreno and Ollie Watkins, who did not hold back his celebrations against his former employers.
With 18th-place Luton Town only seven points behind the West Londoners as the New Year draws near, Brentford fans, who have lost five of their past six Premier League games, will not be celebrating as they anxiously stare over their shoulders towards the relegation zone.
Bryan Mbuemo, who leads his team in goal scoring rankings with seven top-flight strikes, is under more pressure to perform offensively now that Ivan Toney, the team’s best scorer from the previous season, is out of the picture. No other Bees player has scored more than three goals thus far.
Even though Brentford’s home matches against Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal and Aston Villa were always going to be difficult, they have recently shown that they are capable of winning all three points at the Gtech, as evidenced by the 3-1 victory over Rob Edwards’s Hatters on December 2, in which Shandon Baptiste scored just his second Premier League goal.
In a rare Christmas Eve offering, Wolves’ capacity to rise to the big occasion at Molineux was demonstrated once more as Gary O’Neil’s team defeated a directionless Chelsea team to record their 19th top-flight loss of the year, adding more strain on Blues head coach Mauricio Pochettino.
The West Midlanders rode their luck and some dubious attacking play from Raheem Sterling and Nicolas Jackson to stay level as the visitors from the capital dominated the first half.
However, the hosts were able to take the lead in the second half through goals from Mario Lemina and substitute Matt Doherty.
After losing to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur, and now Chelsea at Molineux so far this season, O’Neil’s team is mocking pre-season rumours that they were headed for relegation after former manager Julen Lopetegui’s shocking departure on the eve of the season.
After the Black Country team’s victory on Christmas Eve, they drew even with the Blues in terms of points. As a result, Wolves now sit comfortably ahead of Luton in 18th place, with seventh-place Newcastle United trailing them by just seven points as the season draws to a close.
As the hectic holiday schedule continues, Wolves will prioritise improving their away performance. Under O’Neil, Wolves has lost four straight games in the top flight, including a 3-0 loss at West Ham United on December 17 when Mohamed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen went on the rampage.
Brentford Premier League form:
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Wolverhampton Wanderers Premier League form:
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Frank will have to find Ethan Pinnock, a new defensive partner since Brentford will be without centre-back Mee for the next three games due to a careless tackle on Leon Bailey of Aston Villa last time out.
Mathias Jensen, a Danish midfielder, is eligible for selection after missing the last month of activity with a groin injury. This is better news for the Bees.
After recovering from an ankle ailment, former Wolves player Nathan Collins will take the field against some well-known opponents after coming on as a substitute for the last 14 minutes against the Villans.
Brentford’s attacking options are still limited by Toney’s suspension and Mbeumo’s ankle issues, so on Wednesday night, Neal Maupay and Yoane Wissa are probably going to play in a two-man forward line.
Due to the injuries to Rico Henry and Aaron Hickey, who will miss the rest of the season with a major knee injury, Frank’s team is presently playing with second-choice alternatives at wing-back.
Regarding the guests at the Gtech, Craig Dawson should be eligible for selection despite having to leave the match against Chelsea in the second half because of a nasty cut on his knee.
Despite a convincing victory over the Blues on Christmas Eve, O’Neil is expected to make changes to his starting lineup. Rayan Ait Nouri, a wing-back, is a strong contender for a rest after experiencing weariness during his previous game.
After missing two months due to a hamstring strain, Pedro Neto, a Portuguese playmaker, is expected to make a major comeback for Wolves on Wednesday. It would be a tremendous belated Christmas present.
Boubacar Traore, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, and Fabio Silva were unable to participate on Sunday afternoon due to illness, although O’Neil anticipates having some of his affected players return for the journey to West London.
Brentford possible starting lineup:
Flekken; Zanka, Pinnock, Collins; Roerslev, Jensen, Norgaard, Janelt, Ghoddos; Maupay, Wissa
Wolverhampton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Sa; Kilman, Dawson, T Gomes; Semedo, J Gomes, Lemina, H Bueno; Sarabia, Cunha, Hwang
Our prediction for this match 1-1 or 2-2 draw
