Stoke City vs Brentford. Sky Bet Championship.
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Friday 10 August 2018 14:08, UK
Stoke's latest arrival Sam Clucas could be handed a debut against Brentford.
The Potters were beaten by Leeds on their return to the Sky Bet Championship but added £6million Clucas on deadline day.
Another newcomer, Wales international Ashley Williams, was on the bench last weekend but could now be ready to move into the starting line-up. Boss Gary Rowett might also ponder a recall for the enigmatic Bojan Krcic after a bright cameo at Elland Road.
Brentford may be unchanged after kicking off the campaign with a 5-1 thumping of Rotherham. Ryan Woods is one player likely to be pushing the first XI, though, returning to the squad after a move to Swansea failed to materialise.
There should also be a role for returning favourite Moses Odubajo, who re-signed with the club as a free agent this week. Julian Jeanvier is awaiting a debut after signing from French side Reims and watching from the bench last time out.
Stoke City and Brentford haven't met since the 2001-02 third tier play-off final, which the Potters won 2-0 with goals from Deon Burton and a Ben Burgess own-goal.
Brentford have never won an away league match at Stoke in 11 attempts (D3 L8), losing each of the last four in a row, though this is their first visit since November 2001.
Current Stoke manager Gary Rowett's three home Championship matches against Brentford have all ended in victory, including a 3-0 win at Pride Park as Derby manager last season.
Brentford's French striker Neal Maupay has scored eight goals and assisted three more in his last 15 Championship appearances.
Stoke striker Benik Afobe is averaging a goal every 110 minutes in the Championship in 2018 (7 goals in 17 matches). He hasn't completed 90 minutes in a league match since October 2017, when he did so for Bournemouth against Stoke at the bet365 Stadium in the Premier League.
Brentford haven't won their opening two league matches of a season since 2006-07 in League One - they finished in bottom position at the end of that season.
You can't read too much into an opening-day result but Stoke were well and truly outclassed by Leeds last Sunday and they've got plenty of work to do to improve from here.
Brentford were exceptional against Rotherham last Saturday but this is a different prospect for them altogether. If they could get a result it would really establish them as real top-six candidates but I think Gary Rowett would have got into this side over the past few days and Stoke will edge this one.
David Prutton predicts: 1-0 (15/2 with Sky Bet)
