Match Preview: Brentford v Southampton

Brentford return to Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday, as they face newly-promoted Southampton (3pm kick-off GMT).

The Bees have taken three points from their opening two Premier League fixtures – beating Crystal Palace and losing to Liverpool – while the Saints are hoping to get off the mark in west London having been defeated 1-0 by Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest.

Analysis, team news, match officials and more. Here's everything you need to know ahead of the fixture.

Pre-match analysis

Alex Lawes, Playmaker Stats: How Brentford will look to cause possession-based Southampton problems

After a bright start to the campaign with victory over Crystal Palace and then a solid, difficult-to-breakdown performance in defeat at Anfield against Liverpool, Brentford return to Gtech Community Stadium to take on newly-promoted Southampton this weekend.

There have been early signs on the eye that Brentford have managed to (or are at least in the process of returning to) the tactically flexible approach which served them well in their first two seasons in the Premier League, prior to injuries and general bad luck affecting them last year.

The Bees look well prepared to beat teams that could sit around them in the Premier League table, but also take the game to some of the so-called ‘big teams’.

One thing that Brentford have always done very well at their best is be direct and effective in attack: their shots within the six-yard box are a good barometer of that, as it shows an ability to win second balls in the box and purposefully pressurise opponents in their most vulnerable part of the pitch.

Despite having played at Anfield - a notoriously tough place to go - the west Londoners have still managed 1.5 shots per game within the opposition’s six-yard box in their opening couple of games.

With 13.5 aerial duels won from 23.5 per game this season, some improvements can be made, but Brentford’s ability to go direct and cause problems will be handy against a Southampton side aiming to be one of the most possession-based in the top flight.

The Saints - albeit aided by playing against 10 men for over an hour in their opening game against Newcastle - have averaged 71 per cent of the ball this term having topped the stat category in the Championship last season (with 66 per cent).

It seems likely that Thomas Frank and his backroom staff will look to press aggressively and be direct in offensive areas given Southampton’s style of play under Russell Martin, who has drilled his side to play out from the back under almost any circumstance - a trait which led to their downfall on the opening day at St James Park.

Last weekend, the Saints conceded the only goal of the game from a set-piece against Nottingham Forest - and Brentford will also look to impose themselves from dead-balls, against a side that has shipped 30 free-kicks already this term, despite their league-leading possession stats.

An intriguing tussle between sides with different styles is in store, and it will be interesting to see how Brentford approach the clash given Southampton’s all-out commitment to their passing game.

Scout Report

Dan Long, Sky Sports: Saints intent on sticking to principles

Southampton’s most recent 12-year stint in the Premier League came to an end in May 2023, when they were relegated under the watch of Rubén Sellés.

For five seasons before that, they had flirted dangerously with a return to the Championship; in 2017/18, a three-point cushion kept them up, with a slight increase to five in 2018/19 and 2021/22. In hindsight, the writing had been on the wall for some time.

Still, the one time they were unable to manage to keep their heads above water, it was miserable. Saints only managed six wins all season and, once they dropped to the bottom of the table after a Boxing Day defeat to Brighton, they did not rise again.

It was time to press the reset button, which was an opportunity likely welcomed by many.

In came Russell Martin, the Norwich legend and former Scotland international, whose possession-based style earned him plaudits at MK Dons and Swansea - and whose managerial stock was rising quickly.

Despite the fact Saints sold prized assets James Ward-Prowse, Tino Livramento, Romeo Lavia and Nathan Tella as a result of relegation, three wins from the first four games gave the impression they would not be back in the second tier for long.

But it was a false dawn, for a little while, at least; they lost four in a row thereafter and the rug of positivity was ripped from beneath them.

“We want to give the fans a team to be proud of but, at the minute, we're going through a really tough moment,” said Martin, under fire after the 2-1 loss at Middlesbrough on 23 September.

However, as rapidly as things had turned negative, a sense of normality was restored almost in the blink of an eye, seemingly as a direct consequence of the final game in that slump.

In fact, over the course of the next five months, Saints went unbeaten in a club-record 25 games in all competitions. Coupled with Leicester’s dramatic slip, it was almost enough to make them frontrunners for automatic promotion.

As the eventual top two got back on track, Martin’s side eventually had to settle for play-offs, but they took it in their stride and, after an impressive semi-final second-leg win over West Brom, edged past Leeds at Wembley to regain their top-flight spot.

"I feel emotional and overwhelmed by the love and support I've had over the past nine or 10 months, especially in the tougher times,” Martin said after his side’s Wembley triumph.

"With the support from the board, I had to validate their decision and justify being handed the chance. The team have been so brave and I'm grateful and proud of them.”

There was a lot of squad movement at St Mary’s over the summer. All but two - club legend Adam Lallana (36) and Charlie Taylor (30) - that have signed are 25 or under and there is plenty for Saints fans to get excited about with the additions.

Martin said he would “cry himself to sleep” if the club did not sign midfielder Flynn Downes from West Ham, which needs little explanation.

Ronnie Edwards and Nathan Wood were seen as two of the EFL’s best young centre-backs before they joined from Peterborough and Swansea respectively. Cameron Archer and Ben Ben Brereton Díaz have points to prove in the Premier League.

Saints’ season has started with two 1-0 defeats. At Newcastle on the opening day, they certainly deserved more; but against Nottingham Forest last weekend, they could count themselves fortunate to concede only once. Teething problems, sure. There is just one more game before the international break and they may emerge from it stronger.

It seems Martin is intent on sticking to his principles, but if things continue in a similar vein next month, some tweaks will likely need to be made. For now, though, Southampton are just enjoying being back in the top flight.

In the Dugout

Russell Martin

After leaving the academy of hometown club Brighton at the age of 18 in 2004, Russell Martin dropped into non-league to sign for nearby Lewes before signing for League Two club Wycombe later that summer.

He spent four seasons at Adams Park, before joining Peterborough on a free contract in May 2008. In his only full season at the club, Martin played every single game as Darren Ferguson's men earned a second-straight promotion and a place in the Championship.

Martin started the 2009/10 season with Posh but signed a loan deal at Norwich that November, which turned permanent in January - and then stayed at the club for the best part of the next decade.

He won promotion on three occasions with the Canaries, made over 300 appearances in all competitions for the club, and went on to earn 29 caps for Scotland, for whom he qualified to play for by way of having a Scottish father.

He spent the second half of 2017/18 season on loan at Rangers and, after his contract expired at Carrow Road, Martin joined Walsall in a player-coach capacity, though that only lasted three months before he left by mutual consent and later joined MK Dons.

Having made 34 appearances for MK Dons across the 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons, in November 2019, he announced his retirement when he was named as Paul Tisdale's successor at Stadium MK.

At MK Dons, he quickly garnered a reputation for his possession-heavy style of play, which attracted Swansea to make a move for him in August 2021.

In June 2023, it was announced he would replace interim manager Rubén Sellés on a three-year deal, as Southampton targeted an immediate return to the Premier League, which he achieved as the Saints won the Championship play-off final at Wembley Stadium against Leeds United last season.

The Gameplan

With Southampton reporter Alfie House

Daily Echo’s Alfie House explains how Russell Martin is likely to set up his Southampton side in west London on Saturday.

"It has been a 3-5-2 in the first two games of the season," he states. "But it is an interesting 3-5-2, because left wing-back Kyle Walker-Peters plays as a centre-midfielder and the two forwards play as wingers, so it is not a conventional system.

"Martin is someone who does not really believe in formations; they are just starting positions for him. It is all about fluidity on the ball.

"They may well go to a 4-3-3, though, with someone like Cameron Archer coming in up front."

Last Premier League starting XI v Nottingham Forest (3-5-2): McCarthy; Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens; Sugawara, Smallbone, Downes, Aribo, Walker-Peters; Armstrong, Brereton Díaz

Read our full interview with Alfie House here.

Pre-match press conference

Frank: Brentford must come flying out against Southampton

Brentford boss Thomas Frank insisted that his side “must come flying out against Southampton” at Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday.

“I have seen their two games so far and some of their friendlies, so I am well aware of what they are capable of,” he said.

“They were very good in the Championship last year; at times they were unplayable.

“When I look at the first 25 minutes against Newcastle, away from home, it was very, very impressive.

The Bees boss added: “Russell [Martin] has set them up well with his coaching staff. They like to dominate the ball, and they like to create. They are very good at that in many ways.

“It’s a team I respect. They will put a big challenge up for us, so we need to hit a top performance, and the fans need to help us. We need to come flying out. We need to play with high tempo and high intensity.

“I am backing us. If we hit our highest level, we have a good chance to win. But we face a team who are desperate to get points as well."

Match Officials

Josh Smith in charge of Saturday's clash

Referee: Josh Smith

Assistants: Wade Smith and Akil Howson

Fourth Official: Matthew Donohue

Video Assistant Referee: Paul Tierney

Josh Smith, one of the youngest referees in the professional game, started refereeing in 2006, aged just 14, following in the footsteps of his father, who had also been a football referee.

Smith officiated 36 games last season, showing 147 yellow cards and seven reds.

He took charge of his first Premier League game on 20 May 2023 - a 2-2 draw between Fulham and Crystal Palace.

Smith was also in the middle when the Bees beat Burnley 3-0 at Gtech Community Stadium in October last year, handing out eight bookings and sending off Clarets full-back Connor Roberts.

Last Time Out

Brentford 1 Colchester United 0

Keane Lewis-Potter was on target as Brentford beat Colchester United 1-0 to set up a Carabao Cup third-round tie with Leyton Orient.

Lewis-Potter netted just before the break, turning home from close range having been found in the box by Kevin Schade, while Hákon Valdimarsson saved Jack Payne’s 81st-minute penalty after Frank Onyeka brought down Mandela Egbo in the box.