Aston Villa vs Brentford LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction
Follow all the action from Villa Park
Follow live coverage as Aston Villa face Brentford today in the Premier League. Another top-flight season will be covered in full right here with The Independent, as reigning champions Manchester City look to make it an unprecedented five titles in a row come the end of 2024/25.
The likes of Arsenal and Liverpool will be chasing Pep Guardiola's side, but just as fascinating will be the race for Champions League places, with more teams than ever before having designs on top-four finishes. Chelsea remain big-spending, Manchester United's latest rebuild continues and both Tottenham and Newcastle will expect improvements this year - yet it was Aston Villa who snared fourth last term.
Meanwhile, it's Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town who made it back to the elite after promotion last year and each will have hope they can make it more than a one-year stay. Follow the latest live action from the Premier League below:
Aston Villa vs Brentford
And we are off as the referee blows to start for the first half.
Aston Villa vs Brentford
The captains lead their charges out onto the pitch. The Villa Park faithful are in in full voice. As the fireworks go off, we prepare for the first whistle.
Aston Villa vs Brentford
Thomas Frank has only made just one change to his Brentford team that posted a 4-1 victory against Leicester. It is an enforced change of personnel in midfield, with Mathias Jensen – brought off through injury in the 42nd minute of that encounter – replaced tonight by Janelt, who also picks up the captain’s armband.
Aston Villa vs Brentford
Good news for Villa as Goalkeeper, Martinez is deemed fit enough to resume after taking a knock in the defeat to Chelsea. The home side make two changes for tonight’s game, with Bailey coming in for Philogene-Bidace, and Mings coming into the side to start a league game for the first time this season, replacing Torres at the heart of the defence. John McGinn retains the captaincy.
Aston Villa vs Brentford
SUBS: Hakon Rafn Valdimarsson, Ben Mee, Jayden Meghoma, Mads Roerslev, Ryan Trevitt, Yunus Emre Konak, Edmond-Paris Maghoma, Fabio Carvalho, Thiago Rodrigues.
Aston Villa vs Brentford
BRENTFORD (4-4-2): Mark Flekken; Sepp van den Berg, Nathan Collins, Ethan Pinnock, Keane Lewis-Potter, Bryan Mbeumo, Yegor Yarmolyuk, Vitaly Janelt, Mikkel Damsgaard, Kevin Schade, Yoane Wissa.
Aston Villa vs Brentford
SUBS: Robin Olsen, Diego Carlos, Ian Maatsen, Lamare Bogarde, Pau Torres, Emiliano Buendia, Ross Barkley, Jaden Philogene-Bidace, Jhon Duran.
Aston Villa vs Brentford
ASTON VILLA (4-4-1-1): Emiliano Martinez; Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, Lucas Digne, Leon Bailey, Boubacar Kamara, Youri Tielemans, John McGinn, Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins.
Aston Villa vs Brentford
Brentford are the Jekyll and Hyde of the Premier League. At home, nobody is better, with the Bees racking up an impressive 19 points. Unfortunately for them, they have only amassed one extra point from their away fixtures. In fairness, their games away from home have so far included visits to Tottenham, Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United. With Villa in indifferent form, Thomas Frank will surely eye this as an opportunity to break the away hoodoo. The form of Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo (both on eight league goals for the season) has been particularly impressive (not to mention recent hat-trick hero Kevin Schade). The visitors will once again look to their match-winners to do the business and record their first away win of the campaign.
Aston Villa vs Brentford
Aston Villa come into tonight’s game still smarting from a 3-0 defeat away to Chelsea. After a blistering start to the campaign, Unai Emery’s side have seen the wins – and indeed the goals - dry up in recent weeks. They suffered just one defeat in their first 13 games in all competitions and looked a real force. Since then, they have hit some sticky form, only managing to get two points from a possible 15 on offer in their last five games in the league. Villa have got a potent attack with Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers and the super-sub Jhon Duran, but they need to find their scoring boots if they are to arrest this mini slump. They’ve managed just two goals in their last five in all competitions.
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