Keith Andrews is set to lead Brentford in his first home competitive match against Aston Villa at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday.
The Bees began their 2025-26 Premier League season with a 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest, marking their first-ever loss on an opening day in the top-flight. This came after key players Bryan Mbeumo, Christian Norgaard, and Mark Flekken were sold.
Brentford have maintained an unbeaten record in their initial home games over nine seasons in the Premier League. They have secured seven wins and two draws, scoring at least two goals in each of these matches. Last season, they conceded only three goals from set-pieces, but Chris Wood’s goal last weekend came from a Forest corner.
Aston Villa are eager to secure their first win after a goalless draw against Newcastle United at Villa Park. In that match, Villa managed just three shots, their lowest since May 2024 when they had only two against Brighton. Across the league’s opening weekend, Villa ranked last for shots taken and expected goals (0.20 xG).
Despite this, Villa are optimistic about their chances in West London, having won their last two away games against Brentford. Ollie Watkins remains a crucial player for Villa, contributing significantly with 24 goal involvements last season (16 goals and eight assists). Against Brentford, he has seven goal contributions in seven appearances.
Brentford recently broke their transfer record by signing Dango Ouattara from Bournemouth for £42 million. Ouattara was instrumental for Bournemouth last season with 11 goal involvements (seven goals and four assists). He could make his debut for Brentford this Saturday after missing out against Forest.
Andrews acknowledges the need to balance his coaching philosophy with practicality. “The key is about balancing my ideologies with pragmatism,” he stated. He emphasised that confidence is crucial when implementing strategies that players believe in.
Match Prediction and Historical Performance
Brentford have struggled against Villa recently, failing to win any of their last six encounters (two draws and four losses). They have also not kept a clean sheet in any of their eight Premier League meetings with Villa. Watkins has been particularly effective in London, contributing to 13 goals in his last 18 appearances there.
Aston Villa excelled at set-pieces last season, ranking second for goals scored from dead-ball situations. This skill will be on Andrews’ radar as he prepares his team for Saturday’s clash.
The Opta win probability suggests Aston Villa have a 43.4% chance of winning compared to Brentford’s 31.1%, with a draw at 25.4%. As both teams seek to improve upon their opening performances, fans can expect an engaging encounter at the Gtech Community Stadium.