Brentford will host Wolverhampton Wanderers for a Premier League clash at their Gtech Community Stadium, hoping to maintain their strong home form this season and continue it against Wolves.
Thomas Frank could benefit from Christian Norgaard returning to his squad, while Danish teammate Mathias Jensen remains out due to injury.
In this article, we will cover top 10 highly skilled players and Brentford F.C. Vs Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Lineups.
1. Mark Flekken
At home, Wolves look to maintain their unbeaten home record at Gtech Community Stadium with another win – they made one change from their last draw with West Ham as Christian Norgaard returned in place of Fabio Carvalho.
Johnstone kept out Norgaard’s long-range attempt, then stood tall against Schade when the forward made an attack for goal. A great save by the Wolves goalkeeper to preserve their lead!
2. Sepp van den Berg
Brentford have played three matches this season, starting off with a 1-0 defeat at Manchester United in their inaugural fixture on October 19. Since then they’ve hosted Premier League newcomers Ipswich Town on November 26 and defeated fellow Championship play-off contender Arsenal a week later with victory.
Van den Berg has featured in all four league matches so far for The Bees since joining on a five-year contract from Liverpool; filling both centre-back and right-back positions as needed. Bundesliga giant Bayer Leverkusen had expressed interest in him but were turned down due to add-on fees that could reach PS25m with add-ons and an 17% sell-on clause clause.
He started his career with Eredivisie side PEC Zwolle and made his first-team debut against Manchester City in a League Cup tie on December 29 in 2018. Following that campaign he spent time on loan at both Preston North End and Sky Bet Championship rival Schalke 04 before returning home this summer.
3. Nathan Collins
As Nathan Collins emerged from the pitch following Saturday’s 3-2 win against West Ham, people lined up to congratulate him – first teammates Kristoffer Ajer and Bernardo Cueva from Brentford; then assistant coach Kevin O’Connor also offered their congratulations.
As part of their central defence unit alongside Ben Mee, Sepp van den Berg and Ethan Pinnock, he is essential to the Bees in terms of both defence and possession – ranking highly among players for accurate passing.
Collins made 29 Premier League appearances for Burnley last season and his strong defensive work has helped Brentford endure periods of opponent pressure this term. His precise timing and flexible arms often suffice to divert goalbound efforts away from their intended targets; additionally he leads all EPL clubs for shots blocked this term.
4. Ethan Pinnock
Ethan Pinnock of Brentford FC was recognized for his impressive play in central defence this season by being awarded their supporters’ player of the year award. The impressive centre-back has made 28 appearances so far and scored twice – an accolade truly deserving recognition.
Pinnock first made his mark at non-league club Dulwich Hamlet before playing Football League for Forest Green Rovers and Barnsley before moving onto Brentford in 2021. Since then he has represented England C and Jamaica at full international levels.
Pinnock has been an integral member of Thomas Frank’s squad this season and has excelled in each of their last four matches. Against City he led all players with six tackles won and five clearances and boasting an outstanding 94 percent pass completion rate.
5. Kristoffer Vassbakk Ajer
Brentford haven’t seen much change to their starting eleven this summer, yet have made notable additions during the transfer window such as Igor Thiago.
“After signing from AEK Athens in Greece, he will make his debut for the club on March 14. He joins fellow defenders Ellery Balcombe, Daniel Oyegoke, Saman Ghoddos Myles Peart-Harris and Frank Onyeka.”
Ilkay Gundogan and John Stones return after recovering from injuries suffered during the international break, replacing Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, Jeremy Doku. Pablo Sarabia should return after playing for Wolves U23 last week; Wolves have conceded 13 goals in four consecutive Premier League matches since March and have only managed two wins compared to six losses; currently sitting bottom with an 84% chance of avoiding relegation.
6. Vitaly Janelt
Vitaly Janelt stands out among Brentford’s smart investments this season as an outstanding signing from 2 Bundesliga side Bochum in October 2020, becoming an essential cog in Dykes’ midfield. Boasting body feints, disguised passes and timing tackles that impress their opponent at every opportunity while being an adept creator of chances, Vitaly has certainly caught everyone’s attention this term.
He created 36 chances this season – more than any player at the club – which made his absence against Brighton all the more shocking. However, he is expected to feature against Manchester United on Saturday.
7. Christian Noergaard
Wolves have lost four consecutive league matches and appear to be in something of a slump, yet should find form here. Unfortunately for them though, Igor Thiago, Yoane Wissa and Rico Henry will be absent, while Josh Dasilva, Aaron Hickey Gustavo Gomes and Mathias Jensen may all miss out due to injury concerns.
Christian Norgaard will likely play an integral part for Brentford as evidenced by his performances so far this season. The defensive midfielder scored one goal and created two opportunities in their win against Wolves as well as making three tackles (one won) and seven interceptions – an impressive performance!
Norgaard has returned to training, but is likely to face a late fitness test before their match on Saturday. If he passes, he’ll join Vitaly Janelt and Mikkel Damsgaard as midfielders, where Norgaard currently boasts six goals scored this season.
8. Bryan Mbeumo
As is often the case when players transition from the Championship to Premier League, many worry about whether or not they can adjust to its vastly higher quality level. Mbeumo has demonstrated his ability to do just this since joining Brentford from Troyes in 2020.
He was instrumental in leading Brentford to their historic promotion to the Premier League, scoring 11 goals and dishing out 12 assists during their campaign.
Mbeumo’s incredible form this season has seen him emerge as his club’s most productive Premier League player in terms of direct goal involvements. This could pose a massive threat for Wolves as Mbeumo should be able to exploit any defensive vulnerabilities they might possess and could turn this game into an explosive high-scoring affair.
9. Mikkel Damsgaard
Mikkel Damsgaard remains sidelined due to a knee injury and will likely remain sidelined until at least November. Since returning from international break training indoors has resumed but Damsgaard may take longer than anticipated to make his comeback onto the pitch, potentially further diminishing his position on the depth chart if more matches go by without him playing.
Damsgaard did play 13 minutes off the bench Monday and assisted on Yoane Wissa’s goal, in addition to making three tackles (all won) and creating two corners in this match. Manager Thomas Frank indicated last week that Damsgaard should remain a bench option until he’s back up to speed; thus far he has provided one assist along with two shots (neither on target) and six crosses across two appearances.
10. Keane Lewis-Potter
Keane Lewis-Potter is one of those players that instantly draws Premier League clubs’ interest, with clubs looking at him like a prized prize. Mark Arridge, his youth team manager from Year 8 to 11 at St Mary’s College (where Keane attended from Years 8-11), describes Keane as being both committed and dedicated.
He spent last season on loan to Hull City of the Championship league and scored 13 goals in five appearances; two against Brentford in FA Cup third-round play-off.
Brentford midfielder Thomas Frank hopes Lewis-Potter can add goal threat and create more chances from close range, after being left out of both previous squads for wins by Brentford. Lewis-Potter recorded two shots (both on target) and one cross in Saturday’s 2-1 win over AFC Bournemouth.
