Brentford vs Fulham
Saturday, 7:30 AM ET | Gtech Community Stadium, London
The West London derby kicks off the Premier League Saturday slate with both clubs in the mid-table scramble for European places. Brentford under Thomas Frank has once again been one of the most efficient mid-table sides in the league, built around Bryan Mbeumo's goal-scoring form and Mikkel Damsgaard's creative output from the half-spaces. Fulham under Marco Silva has been punching above their weight, with Raul Jimenez providing the central striker profile the club has lacked in recent years and Antonee Robinson giving them one of the most reliable left-backs in the league.
Brentford open as a slight home favorite given the Gtech Stadium advantage and Mbeumo's recent form. Fulham are at a stage of the season where a draw might be the politically correct outcome given both clubs' European ambitions, but both managers will want the three points. The over 2.5 goals has historically been the sharper play in this fixture, with Brentford's pressing style producing open games more often than not.