Match Preview: Tottenham Hotspur v Brentford | OneFootball

Having beaten Leyton Orient 3-1 to progress to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup in midweek, Brentford return to Premier League action on Saturday with a short trip across the capital to take on Tottenham Hotspur (3pm kick-off).

The Bees have taken six points from their opening four matches, beating Crystal Palace and Southampton, while Spurs are two points worse off and lost 1-0 to rivals Arsenal in their last league outing.

Analysis, team news, match officials and more. Here's everything you need to know ahead of the Brentford’s third London derby of the season.

Pre-match analysis

Alex Lawes, Playmaker Stats: Set-pieces could prove decisive at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Ever since gaining promotion to the Premier League, Brentford have regularly been a thorn in the side of some of the leading clubs in England - and now they face another.

In just their fifth match of the season, the Bees are facing a third member of the ‘big six’ after narrow margins of defeat away at Liverpool and Manchester City.

In those games, Brentford have been tactically disciplined and adaptable based on the game situation as they seek to return to the form and performances they showed when securing a top-half finish in the 2022/23 campaign.

Brentford have also been able to handle being supposed ‘favourites’ for a game and have played football similar to that which got them up a few years ago - displaying fluency and fluidity in home victories against Crystal Palace and Southampton.

Tottenham, who began the Ange Postecoglou era with a 2-2 draw at Gtech Community Stadium last season, have managed just one win in their opening four matches this term and come into this on the back of losing 1-0 to arch rivals Arsenal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last weekend.

Given the visitors’ slow start and Brentford’s fantastic display last time out at Man City, it would seem plausible that Brentford approach this game differently to the tailored tactical set-ups they took to Anfield and the Etihad.

That said, what has been a theme of the footballing discourse this week in the aftermath of that derby defeat to Arsenal has been Tottenham’s inability to defend set-pieces with Gabriel’s winner for the Gunners coming from yet another corner.

Last season, Spurs shipped 21 Premier League goals from dead-balls (14 from set-pieces and seven from penalties) and the Bees will no doubt be aware of these statistics.

Although Gabriel’s header in last Sunday’s north London derby was the first time Spurs have conceded from a set-piece this season, the numbers suggest they may have an Achilles heel in this area - and one of the last teams you would want to face if you are susceptible to dead-balls is Brentford.

Interestingly, however, the Bees would be wise to keep their guard up when it comes to defensive corners, as Tottenham certainly have a knack for winning them.

Cristian Romero has already scored a header from a corner against Everton this term for Postecoglu’s team, and Spurs average 11 attacking corners per game in the Premier League in 2024/25 - more than any other side.

Only Man City (10) and Liverpool (6) have scored more top-flight goals from open play than Brentford (5) this term, however, and the Bees will fancy their chances of getting after Spurs in free play.

Brentford showed verve on the break at the Etihad last weekend, but the Bees have yet to have a shot from a counter attack this season and they will be looking to put that right on Saturday.

There are plenty of backstories and sub-plots to consider ahead of the Bees’ third London derby of the season - and if Thomas Frank’s side can vary their threat from open play and set-pieces they could have some joy.

Scout Report

Dan Long, Sky Sports: Postecoglou remains bullish despite Spurs’ slow start

Tottenham fans’ greatest fears were realised last summer, when Harry Kane finally departed the club after several seasons of speculation.

With a year remaining on the England captain’s contract, Spurs could count themselves fortunate to bank €100m for his sale to Bayern Munich. But how would they cope without him, particularly with a new manager in Ange Postecoglou - a man without prior Premier League experience - in charge? Pretty well, as it turned out.

Heung-min Son took on the mantle as star man with eight goals across the first 10 games of the season, with eight wins during that run putting the club top of the Premier League throughout October.

The 26-point haul meant Postecoglou accrued the most points by a manager in their first 10 games in the competition’s history. It was also Tottenham’s best start after 10 games in the Premier League era and the second best in their top-flight history after 1960/61, when they took 30 points (when converted to three points for a win) from their first 10 games.

"Let the fans dream,” said the Australian after the 2-1 win at Crystal Palace on 27 October. “It's what being a football fan is all about.”

The patchy periods from November into December and April into May prevented his side challenging for the Champions League spots, but they finished fifth, two points behind Aston Villa and secured a place in the newly revamped Europa League.

Speaking after the victory over Sheffield United on the final day, Postecoglou said: “I have got some lofty ambitions for the football club and until we reach that point I am not going to be smiling too much.”

The fans were certainly smiling in the summer when the club spent over £130m, the bulk of which went on Archie Gray - one of the country's most promising teenagers - and Dominic Solanke who is the replacement for Kane, albeit a year after his departure. The action from the board backed up the manager’s claims.

This season’s start has been quite the opposite to last, though. Spurs had 10 points after four games last term, six points more than the four they currently have to their name. The 4-0 win over Everton in their second game gave the impression that wouldn’t be the case, but they have been beaten by two of their top-six rivals in the last two.

The 2-1 loss at Newcastle was the third in succession at St James’ Park, while a 1-0 north London derby defeat to Arsenal last weekend means they have beaten their arch enemies just once in the last eight meetings. In the last 11 games, Spurs have won just three times.

Despite the underwhelming start, Postecoglou is adamant this season will be a success for his team.

"I'll correct myself: I don't usually win things, I always win things in my second year,” was his response to a question during an interview with Sky Sports on pre-season comments where he said he "usually" wins trophies in his second season.

“Nothing has changed. I don't say things I don't believe in."

The man in charge has spoken - now it’s up to the players to prove him right and coax out that smile he promised.

In the Dugout

Ange Postecoglou

Ange Postecoglou started out in management in his native Australia with South Melbourne, where he had spent his entire playing career.

After two years as assistant, he was handed the head coach role in 1996 and spent another four successful years at the club, before leaving to work with Australia U17s and U20s for the next seven years.

Having failed to guide the U20s to the 2007 World Cup in Canada, he left the national set-up to coach Greek outfit Panachaiki and later Whittlesea Zebras back home.

In 2009, he took over at Brisbane Roar and won the A-League Championship in 2010/11 and 2011/12, before moving on to Melbourne Victory, where he was unable to produce a similar level of success.

Postecogolou’s tenure at AAMI Park concluded prematurely, however, as he was appointed head coach of the senior Australia men’s team in October 2013.

He oversaw a reasonably encouraging group-stage campaign at the 2014 World Cup and guided the Socceroos to the Asian Cup the following year.

Australia later qualified for the 2018 World Cup, but Postecoglou resigned shortly afterwards to join Yokohama F Marinos of the Japanese J-League. He would go on to guide the club to its first title in 15 years in 2019.

He then went on to have two incredible years at Celtic, with whom he won an unbelievable 83 of his 113 games in charge in Glasgow, on the way to two Scottish Premiership titles, one Scottish Cup and two Scottish League Cups.

The 59-year-old arrived in north London in the summer of 2023, just over two months after Antonio Conte left the club, and has three years remaining on his contract.

The Gameplan

With Tottenham Hotspur reporter Rob Guest

Rob Guest, Tottenham reporter for football.london, discussed how Ange Postecoglou's Spurs are likely to set up in north London on Saturday.

He explained: "It will be something like: Vicario in goal, with a back four of Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie. The midfield might depend on Yves Bissouma, as he missed the midweek game against Coventry and against Arsenal, so I imagine it will be one of him and Rodrigo Bentancur.

"Then Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, then an attacking three of Solanke through the middle, Heung-min Son and probably Brennan Johnson. Spurs will attack and look to make things happen in the final third."

Last Premier League starting XI v Arsenal (4-3-3): Vicario; Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Udogie; Kulusevski, Bentancur, Maddison; Johnson, Solanke, Son

Read our full interview with Rob Guest here.

Thomas Frank's pre-match press conference

Match Officials

Brooks the man in the middle for London derby

Referee: John Brooks

Assistants: Simon Bennett and Daniel Robathan

Fourth official: Oliver Langford

VAR: Alex Chilowicz

John Brooks refereed 34 games last term, showing 142 yellow cards and six reds.

His most recent Bees assignment came in May 2023: Thomas Frank’s side beat champions Manchester City on the final day of the Premier League season.

Last meeting

Tottenham Hotspur 3 Brentford 2 (Premier League, 31 January 2024)

Three goals in eight minutes at the start of the second half turned the game in Tottenham Hotspur’s favour as Brentford fell to a narrow defeat in north London.

The Bees led at the interval thanks to Neal Maupay’s scrambled finish, but Destiny Udogie, Brennan Johnson and Richarlison all struck for Spurs in a frantic period after the break.

Ivan Toney pulled one back following Udogie’s misjudged backpass, but Thomas Frank’s side couldn’t find an equaliser during the closing stages.