Brentford boss Thomas Frank believes the sky is the limit for his players after they dispatched Leicester City last time out to move up to eighth in the Premier League table.
A hat-trick from Kevin Schade and a goal from Yoane Wissa earned the Bees their sixth win of the season last Saturday, all of which have come at home, more than they managed for the entirety of the 2023-24 campaign (five).
Brentford also became the first side to score 20+ goals at home in the Premier League this term. After seven home games, it's the earliest in a league season that they have reached 20+ home goals since 1982-83 (also seven), and the earliest in the top-flight since 1936-37 (also seven).
While their away from has left a lot to be desired, with a midweek trip to Aston Villa up next for the Bees, Frank is confident his players can push to finish in the European places.
"As high as possible. We are very happy with the season so far, always thinking of what to improve. Even this game, there are things we could do better, but football is tough. We celebrate today and we go again in training tomorrow,” Frank said.
"It was a very good performance, probably our best performance this year overall. I think we controlled and dominated that game from minute one to the end of the game. They got 1-0 up but we were just relentless.
"This group of players has a top mentality, top character and top culture. That bounce-back mentality is something you need to have not just after a game you lose, but also in games.”
Villa, meanwhile, endured a difficult day at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, losing 3-0 to Chelsea, which dropped them down into the bottom half of the Premier League standings.
The Villans are now winless in their last five straight top-flight games for the first time since August 2022 under Steven Gerrard. This current form is also the joint-longest streak without a victory in the Premier League (five – level with Everton and Leicester).
However, Unai Emery insisted that he was happy with his side’s displays this term, both domestically and in the Champions League, but acknowledged improvements were needed.
"We believe completely in our work. We are enjoying the Champions League, and in the league, we are more or less where we were [last season],” Emery said. "Our challenge is to fight on Wednesday with Brentford and see how our level is with Brentford.
“There are still matches to play and we are going to recover our confidence, trying to build the team. We have to try to be better than we are being now. We can individually do better.
"At the beginning of the season, we can sense some teams were better than us and one of them is Chelsea. We try to keep the balance and not be frustrated.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Aston Villa – Ollie Watkins
Against Crystal Palace last time out, Watkins became the first Villa player to reach 50 goal involvements in Premier League home games (35 goals, 15 assists).
His 35 goals is the second most by a Villa player at Villa Park, behind only Dwight Yorke (37), and the England international will be hopeful of adding to that total on Wednesday.
Brentford – Kevin Schade
While the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Wissa have received plaudits for their starts to the season, the Bees were able to showcase the depth of their attacking talent against Leicester, none more so than Schade.
He became the fourth German player to score a Premier League hat-trick last time out against the Foxes, with his three goals in that game more than he’d managed in his previous 41 appearances in the competition combined (two).
MATCH PREDICTION: ASTON VILLA WIN
Villa are unbeaten in their last four league games against Brentford (W2 D2), having been winless in their previous eight (D4 L4).
However, the Villans have won just two of their last 14 Premier League games played on a Wednesday (D4 L8), though one of these was in their last such home match against Manchester City in December last year.
They have also impressed at Villa Park, losing just one of their last 11 Premier League home games (W4 D6). Each of their last three have finished level, though, with Villa last drawing four consecutive Premier League games on home soil between March and April 2007.
Brentford, meanwhile, have never won an away league game against Villa (D6 L3), with the Bees only facing Stoke City (14) and Halifax Town (11) more often on the road without ever winning in their league history.
While Frank’s side have won more points in Premier League home games than any other side this season (19), no side have won fewer points on the road than the Bees this term (1, level with Southampton).
They have also lost nine of their last 10 top-flight games against sides that finished in the top four the previous season, with the only exception being a 1-1 draw with Manchester United in March.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Aston Villa – 50.8%
Draw – 23.6%
Brentford – 25.6%
Bournemouth v Tottenham: Postecoglou says City win cannot be 'millstone' for visitors
Ange Postecoglou says Tottenham's positive displays cannot be placed as a "millstone" around their necks as they bid to return to winning ways at Bournemouth on Thursday.
Spurs made headlines by tearing Premier League champions Manchester City apart in a 4-0 away win on matchday 12, but they were subsequently held to a 1-1 draw by Fulham on matchday 13.
They have not played out the same result in any of their last eight Premier League games, flitting between wins and defeats across seven straight matchdays before Sunday's draw.
With Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Guglielmo Vicario among their current injury absentees, Postecoglou says pundits and fans cannot reasonably expect total consistency.
"I know people use City as a reference point, but I was able to put on [Brennan] Johnson and [Timo] Werner, and I had Vicario in goal," Postecoglou said.
"I know people are looking for easy targets, but what the players are having to deal with is self-evident. We are going to have to protect our players.
"We don't have many options, so we will manage them the best we can. We can't play like we did against City in every game.
"With this club, everything we do well is used as a millstone to bring us down at every opportunity. We can't react to any of that.
"I just feel that the players we have at the moment are working hard to get us where we want to be, and we are still in decent shape and a decent position in the league."
Bournemouth are just two points below Spurs in the table after beating Wolves 4-2 at Molineux in a thriller last week, with Justin Kluivert becoming the first player in Premier League history to score a hat-trick of penalties.
All three spot-kicks were won by recent arrival Evanilson, leading coach Andoni Iraola to shower the Brazilian with praise.
"Evanilson has made the difference. He has been fighting with the centre-backs and the keeper. He was phenomenal," Iraola said.
"Evanilson didn't score, but he is why we won. He has won five penalties this season and we have scored four.
"It is very difficult to score three penalties in one game. Justin is someone who gives us a lot, also without the ball. He is someone who understands we need his work rate. He is giving the team a lot."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Bournemouth – Evanilson
Evanilson has won more fouls than any other Bournemouth player in the Premier League this season (23). At Wolves, he became the first player in Premier League history to win three penalties in a single match.
Only Kluivert (five), meanwhile, has netted more league goals for the Cherries than his four this campaign.
Tottenham – Brennan Johnson
Johnson was on target for Spurs against Fulham last time out, netting his 10th goal across all competitions this campaign.
Only Erling Haaland (17), Mohamed Salah (12) and Christopher Nkunku (11) have netted more among all Premier League players.
MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW
Tottenham have won 10 of their 14 Premier League games against Bournemouth (71%), drawing two and losing two. Of all sides they have faced at least 10 times in the competition, only against Swansea City (79%) do they have a higher win rate.
They did the double over the Cherries in 2023-24, winning 3-1 at home last December after triumphing 2-0 at the Vitality in August.
Spurs average 2.5 goals per game in the Premier League against Bournemouth (35 goals in 14 matches), their highest rate against any side they have faced at least 10 times in the competition.
However, they have only won twice in six away matches in the top flight this campaign, drawing one and losing three.
Each of Tottenham's last five Premier League away wins have been to nil, including a 4-0 victory at City last time out on their travels. They have not won any of their last 14 when conceding on the road (five draws, nine defeats), since a 2-1 triumph at Crystal Palace in October 2023.
Bournemouth have three wins in their last four at home so should be expected to provide a stern test. An entertaining draw could be on the cards.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Bournemouth – 36.5%
Tottenham – 39.1%
Draw – 24.4%
Amorim: Arsenal are the best team I will have faced since Man Utd move
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has said that Arsenal will be the biggest challenge he has faced since joining the club ahead of their trip to the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.
"It's the best team that we have faced by far. But a test is every game. If you saw the last game [against Everton], it was really tough," Amorim told reporters on Monday.
Despite the size of the task facing Amorim and his new club, he suggested that his players should not be scared of what awaits them.
"It's important to be brave [on Wednesday], when I say it's brave it's not pressing all the time higher. It's not the same. You have to understand the game, the moments of the game. We need to have the ball, that is a key point.
"We want to have the ball, we want to dominate some moments of the game, because you know these matches it's hard to control all the game. We have to be brave and play the game."
Mikel Arteta, meanwhile, was complimentary about his opposite number ahead of Wednesday's match, which will be Amorim's third in the Premier League.
"You can see his fingerprints [on the club], you know what he wants to do straight away, I think he’s been very clear," he told his pre-match press conference.
"He’s been very successful with Sporting, it’s remarkable after so many years what he achieved there, especially in the way he did it and the way his teams have been playing.
"He brings energy to the club, to the players, new ideas and that’s always something that’s positive but we have to focus on what we have to do."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Arsenal – Bukayo Saka
Saka ranks second to Mohamed Salah for goal contributions in the Premier League this season, having scored five times and registered 10 assists.
Having registered 10 assists in 13 league matches for Arsenal, Saka is the fourth-quickest to reach double figures in assists in Premier League history.
Manchester United – Bruno Fernandes
Fernandes has scored four goals and provided four assists in the seven matches in all competitions since Erik ten Hag's departure from Manchester United.
The 30-year-old has created 12 chances in his last four league appearances, which is a Premier League high for that period.
MATCH PREDICTION: ARSENAL WIN
Arsenal have beaten Manchester United in each of the last three league meetings between the pair, while they have also won five of their last six home games against United.
Mikel Arteta's side come into this match having won each of their last three matches in all competitions by an aggregate score of 13-3.
They are second in the Premier League table behind Liverpool, having accrued 25 points in 13 matches and scored 26 goals – the equal second-most.
Manchester United have won just one away game this season in all competitions, coming against bottom club Southampton in September.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Arsenal – 62.9%
Draw – 19.8%
Manchester United – 17.3%
Jamaica's Cavalier FC make History with Concacaf Caribbean Cup triumph
Cavalier FC etched their name in Caribbean football history on Tuesday, becoming the first Jamaican club to claim the Concacaf Caribbean Cup since 2019 and only the third overall, following in the footsteps of Harbour View and Portmore United.
Despite a 2-1 defeat in the decisive second leg against the Dominican Republic’s Cibao FC at the Estadio Cibao FC, Cavalier secured the championship on the away goals rule after a 2-2 aggregate tie.
The Jamaican side entered the second leg with a slim 1-0 advantage, courtesy of Shaquille Stein’s goal in the first match in Kingston. However, Cibao FC, unbeaten through the semifinals, made an explosive start to the second leg in front of their fervent home crowd.
The hosts leveled the aggregate score in the 27th minute when Juan Díaz calmly converted a penalty, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Seconds later, Cibao seized the lead on aggregate as their leading scorer, Rivaldo Correa, nodded home a pinpoint cross from Ernesto Trinidad to make it 2-0 on the night.
Cavalier, however, refused to be rattled. In the 54th minute, Dwayne Atkinson, named Player of the Tournament, responded with a crucial strike, rifling the ball into the net to make it 2-2 on aggregate.
With that goal, Cavalier regained control of the series via the away goals rule, but from there, the contest became a test of their defensive mettle.
Cibao mounted relentless pressure, with José Barreto attempting a speculative long-range effort in the 70th minute, only for Cavalier’s goalkeeper Vino Barclett—later awarded Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament—to acrobatically tip the ball over the crossbar.
Orlando Russell came close to sealing the series for Cavalier in the 84th minute but narrowly missed the target.
Moments later, Cibao’s Eddipo Rodríguez unleashed a powerful shot from distance, forcing another crucial save from Barclett.
The drama intensified in the dying moments as Cavalier’s Jalmaro Calvin found himself unmarked inside the penalty area but was denied by the right post.
Cibao’s final flurry in stoppage time was neutralized by Barclett, who made his third save of the night, clutching the ball to signal the end of the contest and spark jubilant celebrations for Cavalier.
Cavalier’s triumph marked the culmination of a remarkable campaign in which they showcased resilience, tactical acumen, and individual brilliance. In fact, it was no surprise that the Rudolph Speid-coached team swept the tournament’s individual awards.
This, as Jalmaro Calvin won the Youth Revelation Award; Vino Barclett copped the Best Goalkeeper Award; Shaquille Stein won the Golden Boot; and Dwayne Atkinson was named Player of the Tournament. The Cavalier also took home the Fair Play Award.
Having finished runners-up in 2023, Atkinson pointed out that Cavalier’s journey to the 2024 title was a story of redemption as the team demonstrated their growth and maturity by handling the pressure of playing in hostile territory and prevailing on the grand stage.
“We kept our composure. They were leading us two-love, but we knew we needed only one (goal), and we came back and got the job done, and we kept a clean sheet in the second half,” Atkinson said.
“The most difficult moment was when they led us 2-0; our heads were down, but we came back in the second half and regrouped and kept fighting, and we give God thanks. The goal gave us the momentum to keep fighting, and we came out victorious. This is one of my biggest dreams in my career. It’s a very proud moment for me, my coach, and all the fans from Jamaica. So we will give God thanks and celebrate,” he added.
With this victory, Cavalier secured a coveted spot in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup, entering the tournament in the Round of 16. Their achievement also signals a resurgence of Jamaican football at the regional level after Harbour View’s triumphs in 2004 and 2007, and Portmore United’s 2005 and 2019 wins.
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