Brentford vs Norwich: Premier League preview, team news, stats, prediction, kick-off time
Bryan Mbeumo was an unused substitute last weekend for Brentford following a hamstring issue; follow Brentford vs Norwich in our dedicated live match blog; watch free match highlights on Sky Sports digital platforms and YouTube channel at 5.15pm
Saturday 6 November 2021 17:46, UK
Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Brentford vs Norwich in the Premier League on Saturday; kick-off 3pm.
Team news
Bryan Mbeumo could start Brentford's game with Norwich in the Premier League on Saturday.
Mbeumo was an unused substitute last weekend following a hamstring issue but should be fit enough to secure a promotion to Thomas Frank's XI.
Kristoffer Ajer faces six weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring injury he sustained while on international duty, with Yoane Wissa and Shandon Baptiste also out through injury.
Norwich must do without captain Grant Hanley for their west London trip. The Canaries skipper has suffered an adductor problem and will be out of action for several weeks.
Ozan Kabak is a doubt due to glandular fever, though Ben Gibson returns after suspension.
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How to follow
Follow Brentford vs Norwich in our dedicated live match blog. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel at 5.15pm.
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Last time out...
Jones Knows' prediction
Has a promoted team ever regressed as much as Norwich? Yes, one springs to mind. That would be Norwich the last time they were promoted.
Daniel Farke's side managed to scrape together 21 points in that Premier League season. Carry on in this manner and Derby's famous lowest points total of 11 could be under threat.
Their rapid drop-off is all the more confusing when you factor in Brentford's ease at adapting to the Premier League. The Bees finished 10 points behind the Canaries last season and failed to beat them over the two fixtures in the Sky Bet Championship, drawing 1-1 and losing 1-0 at Carrow Road.
Yet Norwich arrive here at 5/1 with Sky Bet to record their first win of the season - it's a price that should really be snapped up if going by last season, but one that's impossible to get involved with on current form.
Bryan Mbeumo hopefully will be fit enough to return to the fold to partner Ivan Toney, who looked like he missed his mate in the defeat to Burnley. I'm still keen on backing opposition centre-backs to pick up bookings against the lively Brentford front two.
Referee Jarred Gillett showed seven cards on his only other Premier League game so I'll back the overly aggressive Ozan Kabak to be carded. Since moving to the Premier League in February, the turbulent Turk has a ratio of being carded every 0.36 games. Only Harry Maguire, Kalvin Phillips, John McGinn and Douglas Luiz have a higher ratio of players to have played a minimum of 1,300 minutes in that time in the Premier League.
SCORE PREDICTION: 1-0
BETTING ANGLE: Ozan Kabak to be carded (23/10 with Sky Bet)
Opta stats
- This will be the first ever top-flight meeting between Brentford and Norwich. The Bees are winless in their last five league meetings with the Canaries, drawing 1-1 twice and losing 1-0 three times in this run.
- Norwich haven't lost an away league game against Brentford since August 2009 (1-2 in League One), winning two and drawing three of their five visits since then.
- Sides starting the day bottom of the Premier League table have lost 19 of their last 20 league games away to London sides (D1), with Sunderland the last such team to win a visit to the capital (4-0 vs Crystal Palace in February 2017).
- Brentford have lost three of their last four home league matches (D1), as many as in their previous 33 combined (W19 D11). The Bees haven't lost three in a row at home since December 2018 at Griffin Park in the Championship.
- Norwich are only the second team to fail to score in their first five away top-flight matches of a season while shipping 15+ goals themselves - the other was Derby County in 2007-08 (0 scored, 17 conceded), who went on to finish with a record Premier League-low 11 points.
- Brentford have lost their last three league matches, their joint-worst losing run under Thomas Frank. They haven't lost four in a row since December 2016 in the Championship under Dean Smith.
- Excluding games played on the opening weekend of the season, this is Norwich's 40th consecutive Premier League match in the relegation zone, equalling Swindon's record in the competition set in the 1993-94 season.
- Norwich are winless in their last 25 away Premier League games in London (D6 L19) since a 2-1 win at Spurs in April 2012, with only Derby (26 between 1999 and 2008) and Fulham (36 between 2003 and 2011) having longer winless runs in top-flight history. The Canaries have also lost their last 11 in the capital, the longest top-flight run since Sunderland lost 14 in a row between 2002 and 2008.
- Norwich City have taken just two points from their last 20 Premier League matches (D2 L18) and haven't scored more than once in any of their last 28 top-flight games. Only Wolves between January 1984 and October 2003 have had a longer run of games without scoring more than once in top-flight history (30 in a row).
- Only Chelsea (15) and Man City (11) have had more different goalscorers in the Premier League than Brentford this season, with nine of the Bees' 12 goals coming from different players (excluding own goals).
The Essential Football podcast: Manchester derby special
Peter Smith is joined by Sky Sports football journalists Richard Morgan and Ben Grounds to discuss the huge Saturday lunchtime showdown between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford.
PART 1 | How are the two rivals shaping up for the big clash? We weigh up how Man Utd's injury concerns in defence could affect their approach, while we ask whether Jack Grealish is living up to his big price tag and the reasons behind some inconsistent form from the defending champions. Is this match now a must-win for them with Chelsea pulling clear at the top of the Premier League?
PART 2 | Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has a winning record against Pep Guardiola so what's the secret to his success in this rivalry? And how will the clash go on Saturday? We make our big match predictions!
