Brentford team news: Wieffer to be assessed

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Charlie Hanson

2024-12-27T04:30+00:00

Mats Wieffer scored Albion's goal against West Ham in our last away game but came off with an injury. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

Albion could climb as high as fifth with a win on Friday when we take on Brentford at the Amex, kick-off 7.30pm.

Team news

Fabian Hurzeler gave an update on Mats Wieffer, Adam Webster, Solly March and Jan Paul van Hecke in his pre-match press conference.

On Mats, "We have to see day by day how he's going. It's not perfect how he came out of the game, but we hope that it's not that big an issue."

Mats Wieffer had to be withdrawn shortly after scoring against West Ham. 📷 by James Boardman.

On Adam and Solly, "Adam Webster will hopefully be an option. Solly March is doing really well. Hopefully we can see one of them back in the squad."

On Jan Paul, "He's a warrior to be honest. It's amazing how he reacted after this accident during the game and he wanted to continue. Afterwards it was swollen. It was quite bloody, but there was no other additional problems. He felt good and that's why we are really sure that he will be an option for the game."

Fabian’s thoughts

On Brentford's winless run away from home this season, "I'm not the biggest fan of statistics. I I know the statistic but it doesn't give you any guarantee that you will win the game. We try to prepare like any other game. We try to see that the challenge is an opportunity for us to get out of this cycle of bad experiences and try to be the best version of ourselves, to try to play with more intensity and try to give the fans and the supporters a present."

Fabian Hurzeler's team will be tenth in the Premier League on Christmas Day. 📷 by James Boardman.

On having no winter break, "I see it as a privilege. I see it as a privilege to work for Brighton and to work during Christmas because, in the end, the Premier League is one of the best leagues in the world and everyone is watching the Premier League. I don't need a holiday."

Stats and facts

Albion are unbeaten in all three of their Premier League home games against Brentford (W2 D1), having lost two of their last three against them at home before their promotion.

Brentford have won just one of their last seven league games against Brighton (D3 L3), a 2-0 home win in October 2022.

Brentford have alternated between defeat (3) and victory (2) in their final league game in each of the last five calendar years, losing 3-1 at Crystal Palace in their last game of 2023.

Albion have alternated between a draw (3) and defeat (2) in their last five Premier League games, drawing 1-1 with West Ham last time out. They’ve opened the scoring in all three of these draws.

Brentford have won fewer points away from home than any other Premier League side this season (1), while across 2024 as a whole, only Everton (10) have fewer points than the Bees (11, excluding promoted/relegated sides).

Albion have scored in each of their last 13 Premier League games, but have also only kept one clean sheet in this run. Indeed, both teams have scored in each of the Seagulls’ last nine league games, since a 1-0 win at Newcastle in October.

Only bottom side Southampton have faced more shots overall (312) and more shots on target (113) in the Premier League this season than Brentford (309 shots, 112 on target).

Coming into this round of matches, no side has scored more first-half goals than Brentford in the Premier League this season (19, level with Spurs), while only Leicester and Southampton (20 each) have conceded more in the opening 45 minutes than the Bees (18).

Just two of Brentford’s 32 goals conceded this season have come via set pieces (1x corner, 1x penalty), with no side having shipped more open play goals than the Bees so far this term (30, level with Leicester).

Only Alexander Isak (10) has scored more Premier League goals this season without any of them coming from the penalty spot than Brentford’s Yoane Wissa (9).

Match officials