Sunderland are gearing up to face Brentford at the Stadium of Light this Saturday, hoping to kick off their Premier League home campaign with back-to-back wins for only the second time in their history. Both teams are coming into this match with three points from their first two games, but their midweek EFL Cup results couldn’t have been more different—Sunderland crashed out against Huddersfield Town, while Brentford cruised past Bournemouth.
After a thrilling 3-0 victory over West Ham United on the opening weekend, Sunderland’s high spirits took a hit. Manager Regis Le Bris is now looking to rally his squad after two tough losses, first to Burnley in a battle of newly-promoted sides and then to Huddersfield in the cup. Against Burnley, Jaidon Anthony and Josh Cullen stole the show, each bagging a goal and an assist in a 2-0 defeat for the Black Cats. The cup loss was even more frustrating, with a late Marc Guiu header forcing penalties, only for Huddersfield to come out on top in the shootout.
Some Sunderland fans might see the early cup exit as a silver lining, giving the team a chance to focus solely on the Premier League until the FA Cup starts in 2026. A win this weekend could make history, as the Black Cats last won their first two home games of a Premier League season back in 2001-02 under Peter Reid, when they beat Ipswich Town and Blackburn Rovers.
Meanwhile, Brentford are riding a wave of confidence. After an opening loss, they’ve bounced back with two straight wins, including a 1-0 league victory over Aston Villa, thanks to a debut goal from Dango Ouattara, and a 2-0 cup triumph against Bournemouth, where Fabio Carvalho and Igor Thiago found the net. The Bees have been a force on the road, racking up 23 points in away Premier League games in 2025—more than any other team. They’ve also dominated newly-promoted sides, winning their last eight such matchups while scoring 28 goals and conceding just six. Plus, Brentford are unbeaten in their last five games against Sunderland, though the two haven’t met since 2018.
Sunderland’s preparations have been hampered by injuries. Key defender Daniel Ballard is sidelined until after the September international break with a groin injury picked up early against Burnley. He’s joined on the treatment table by Aji Alese (shoulder), Dennis Cirkin (wrist), Luke O’Nien (shoulder), Leo Fuhr Hjelde (calf), and Romain Mundle (thigh). Niall Huggins also raised concerns after a groin issue in midweek but has since returned to training. New signing Nordi Mukiele filled in for Ballard in the cup, and the ex-PSG man could now make his Premier League debut at right-back, with Jenson Seelt likely to start in central defense.
Brentford aren’t without their own injury headaches. Midfielder Frank Onyeka took a knock late in the Bournemouth game but was unlikely to start anyway. He’s one of five concerns for manager Keith Andrews, alongside Vitaly Janelt (ankle), Gustavo Nunes (thigh), Paris Maghoma (thigh), and Yunus Konak (ankle). Striker Yoane Wissa, who’s been linked with a move to Newcastle United, is also out despite training with the team.
With both sides eager to build momentum, this clash promises to be a lively one as Sunderland chase a historic home start and Brentford look to keep their road warrior reputation intact.
