Our second away-day of the week and another in London as Eddie Howe’s Mags take on Brentford in today’s 3pm kick-off.
With official team news just a few hours away, here’s our predicted XI for this afternoon’s game:
(4-3-3): Pope – Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn – Longstaff, Bruno, Willock – Murphy, Isak, Joelinton.
OUT: Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin? IN: Alexander Isak and Joe Willock?
This may seem tough on Wilson, who’s scored three times in four days prior to this fixture, however I just can’t see Isak being benched two games running. I think our ice-cool Swede returns for this one after a rest.
Elsewhere, I’m not sure we’ll see Saint-Maximin start three games in six days; especially when he was forced off at Forest with a tight hamstring not so long ago. He’s been great in our last two games, but Howe proved in midweek that he’s happy to rotate to make sure every player is able to give 100%.
A huge effort will be needed against a physical Brentford side, so I can see Joelinton starting down the left and Willock coming back in on the left side of our midfield three.
Gordon could come in for Murphy down our right if the latter is fatigued from two starts in four days, but I don’t think we’ll make that many changes in attack after such a convincing win at West Ham.
