Brentford continue their Premier League Summer Series campaign on Wednesday night when they face Brighton & Hove Albion at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The Bees started the pre-season tournament in the United States with a loss against Fulham on the weekend, while Brighton came out on the wrong side of a seven-goal thriller in Philadelphia against Chelsea.
Match preview
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After a ninth-placed finish in the Premier League last season, Brentford are looking to break into the European picture in 2023-24, although they must overcome a considerable challenge if they are to make their continental dreams a reality.
Thomas Frank's men played out a 1-1 draw against non-league outfit Boreham Wood in England before flying out to North America, where they commenced their Summer Series journey with defeat against Marco Silva's Fulham.
Despite strikes from Yoane Wissa and Kristoffer Ajer, Bees boss Frank was left frustrated as his men allowed three goals past David Raya, with Harry Wilson's scrumptious third-minute curler being the pick of the Cottagers' bunch.
Sunday's match in Philadelphia saw Nathan Collins make his debut for Brentford, with the centre-back on a mission to justify his £20m price tag after joining from Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this month.
The West Londoners will be looking to take their 2022-23 form into the new term, after Frank's charges beat Europa Conference League champions West Ham United, Champions League holders Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur in their last three Premier League matches.
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Brighton supporters who have followed the club since their Withdean era could probably have never imagined a day when their side would be lining up in front of over 60,000 supporters across the pond against Chelsea, however that is now the new reality for the Seagulls.
Goals from Danny Welbeck, Deniz Undav and summer signing Joao Pedro were not enough to earn any points in their opening match of the Summer Series against Mauricio Pochettino's Blues, although the South Coast club displayed their ability to compete against the big spenders in English football.
A first-ever European campaign awaits Brighton in the Europa League this term, and the club's hierarchy have moved decisively to recruit players with continental pedigree, bringing in Mahmoud Dahoud and James Milner from Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool respectively.
The Seagulls have had to deal with vultures circling around their best talent over recent years, and although Alexis Mac Allister was lured to Anfield earlier in the summer, Roberto De Zerbi still has the likes of Kaoru Mitoma and Moises Caicedo in his plans for next season.
After a test against the Bees on Wednesday, Brighton conclude their Summer Series participation with a clash against Newcastle United, with all eyes on the Seagulls' Premier League opener against recently-promoted Luton Town on August 12.
Team News
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Brentford are preparing for the 2023-24 term in the knowledge that they will be without their talisman until January, with Ivan Toney serving an eight-month suspension for breaching the FA's betting rules.
Bryan Mbeumo was the Bees' second-highest scorer last term in the Premier League with nine strikes, and the Cameroonian will be hoping youngster Kevin Schade can help carry some of the attacking burden until Toney returns.
With Robert Sanchez openly expressing his desire to leave the South Coast, Jason Steele is set to fight with new signing Bart Verbruggen for a place between the sticks this term, although both can expect game time on Wednesday night.
Joel Veltman, Julio Enciso and Evan Ferguson are likely to start in Atlanta after settling for places on the bench in the defeat against Chelsea, as De Zerbi looks to give all of his key men vital minutes on the pitch.
Brentford possible starting lineup:
Flekken; Roerslev, Pinnock, Mee, Henry; Janelt, Jensen, Damsgaard; Mbeumo, Lewis-Potter, Wissa
Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:
Steele; Gross, Veltman, Webster, March; Dahoud, Gilmour, Mitoma, Pedro, Enciso; Welbeck
We say: Brentford 2-3 Brighton & Hove Albion
There have been 18 goals in the first three Summer Series matches, and we are expecting that free-scoring theme to continue as the Premier League circus pitches up in Atlanta on Wednesday night.
Both the Bees and the Seagulls have already shown glimpses of why they were able to mix it with the elite of English football last term, and it is set to be an exciting clash at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium where we believe Brighton will prevail.
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Carter White
