Brentford – Crystal Palace : Preview & Prediction
Thanks to a VAR error directed by Lee Mason, Brentford now have the opportunity to extend their ten-game unbeaten run in the Premier League (G5, E5) against Crystal Palace, after recording a controversial 1-1 draw last week against Arsenal. Only Newcastle can boast a longer current unbeaten run in the PL than Brentford, and considering that all three PL clashes between these two teams have ended in draws, the Bees’ remarkable run may live to fight another day.
However, manager Thomas Frank will want to break that run of PL draws against Palace, with his side buoyed by the fact that a win here would see Brentford string together four consecutive home wins in the top flight for the first time since 1937. The “Bees,” who have been very productive offensively, will be hoping to end that record in style as well, given that they have scored in both halves in their last four home league games.
Brentford’s resurgence certainly isn’t a pretty sight for Crystal Palace, who make a relatively short trip to their London neighbors after a six-game winless streak in the league (E3, P3). Palace failed to win on their only previous PL visit to Brentford, and the chances of them doing so here seem slim, given that, you have to go back to Christmas Day 1957 for Palace’s last win here, which came in the Third Division South!
If that win was a Christmas miracle, Palace may need another one here, given their dismal record in London derbies this season (G1, E1, P5). If perhaps there is one grain of hope that Patrick Vieira’s side can take, then it is the fact that that one win came away to West Ham (2-1), although they subsequently lost three of their next four away league games (G1), something that perhaps negates that belief.
Players to watch: You could bet your bottom dollar that anything good about Brentford comes from Ivan Toney, who has opened the scoring in five of the last seven games in which he has found the net. With a similar influence, Wilfried Zaha is the only Palace player to have scored more than one away goal in the league this season, and he opened the scoring in the first meeting of the campaign between these sides.
Weekend stat: Palace have kept a clean sheet in the first half in seven of their ten away league games this season.
Brentford – Crystal Palace : Betting Tips
Brentford – Win Odds: 2.25
