Tottenham Hotspur take on Brentford in the 23rd matchweek of the Premier League, hoping to register their first Premier League win of 2025.
After an emphatic win against IF Elfsborg in the Europa League on Thursday night, securing a place in the Round of 16, Spurs turn their attention back to the Premier League with a trip to Brentford.
It has been an unbelievable Premier League campaign for Spurs in recent weeks—for all the wrong reasons. They simply cannot keep ignoring the table, and it is high time they show up and earn three points again (hopefully).
What time does Brentford vs Tottenham kick-off?
- Location: Middlesex, England
- Stadium: Gtech Community Stadium, Brentford
- Date: Saturday, 1 February
- Kick-off time: 17:30 GMT
- Referee: Jarred Gillett
- VAR: Ian Hussin
How both teams go into Brentford vs Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs are coming into this fixture on the back of a 3-0 win against IF Elfsborg in their final Europa League group-stage match. However, their Premier League form has been woeful, to say the least. Winless in their last seven league outings, they now sit 15th in the table.
No, I am not bringing up the relegation topic. But if you look at the Premier League form table for the last ten matches, Spurs have collected just four points—ranking 19th, only ahead of Southampton.
With just two wins and three defeats in their last five games—including back-to-back losses to Everton and Leicester—it is fair to say that their league form does not inspire much confidence. That said, the Elfsborg match showed that Spurs are healing.
Meanwhile, Brentford have been a steady mid-table side in recent years, and this season has been somewhat impressive for them. They currently sit 11th, ten points off the top four, which is significantly better than Spurs’ position. However, they are also struggling at the moment, with just two wins in their last ten matches across all competitions. That run included an embarrassing FA Cup exit at the hands of Championship side Plymouth.
Those two victories came against Southampton and, most recently, Crystal Palace. The Bees come into this fixture following a 2-1 win over Palace last Sunday and will be looking to build on that momentum. Before that, they faced two of the Premier League’s top sides—Liverpool and Manchester City—managing a dramatic comeback to draw 2-2 with City before falling to a late 2-0 defeat at Anfield.
The reverse fixture saw Spurs claim a 3-1 victory at home after recovering from an early deficit.
Tottenham team news
One player returns from injury, but another is added to the list—so that balances out, right? Not necessarily. The good news is Micky van de Ven is back, having played 45 minutes against Elfsborg, where he reminded everyone just how good he is. He should be ready to start this fixture, although a full 90 minutes seems unlikely.
The injury list still includes Brennan Johnson, Destiny Udogie, Djed Spence, Dominic Solanke, Guglielmo Vicario, Timo Werner, and Wilson Odobert. Cristian Romero has returned to training, but Ange Postecoglou has ruled him out of this match.
Radu Dragusin picked up a foot injury against Elfsborg, and while further updates are expected, the early signs do not look promising. James Maddison is also out, while Spence is nearing a return.
Postecoglou does have some academy talent to rely on, as we saw against Elfsborg, where three young Spurs graduates scored their maiden goals for the club. It is very likely they get some minutes in this match as well.
Brentford team news
Aaron Hickey and Joshua Dasilva are confirmed absentees, while Ethan Pinnock, Thiago Rodrigues and Gustavo Gomes remain doubtful after expected returns in early February.
Predicted Tottenham line-up
Kinsky, Porro, Gray, Van de Ven, Davies, Bergvall, Bissouma, Sarr, Kulusevski, Richarlison, Son
There’s a chance Djed Spence starts at left-back, with Ben Davies shifting to a centre-back role. Expect to see the young players feature later in the game, as Ange will look to keep key players fresh ahead of the upcoming semi-final.
Our Brentford vs Tottenham insights
Thomas Frank, once rumoured as a potential replacement for Ange Postecoglou if he left, has built a well-structured side. Brentford are a tactically well-drilled side that can trouble opponents in more than one way.
They are one of those teams that sit deep against possession-based sides (like Spurs), so expect a frustrating low block with most of their players camped in their own half. However, Bryan Mbeumo does not fully adhere to this setup. He often lingers up the pitch, waiting for a long pass to launch a counterattack using his pace and physicality.
We have analysed Brentford’s recent matches, and here is what we found ahead of Tottenham’s visit.
Brentford are one of the most disciplined sides in the league, which can be a weakness at times. Spurs fans know all too well the downsides of being a “nice” team.
The Bees thrive on scoring from crosses, especially from central areas near the edge of the box. Their midfielders frequently deliver the ball from central areas near the edge of the box to the flanks, where wingers cut it across the goal, leaving defenders and goalkeepers with little time to react. Spurs must slow down the build-up and block these passing lanes early.
Defensively, their right side looks vulnerable. Liverpool and Man City both exploited that weakness, and Crystal Palace created plenty of chances from that flank too. However, with their right-back recently sent out on loan, it remains to be seen if that problem persists.
They also struggle against long-range shots, and while their low block could make life difficult for Spurs, keeping the play central rather than stretching the defence with diagonal passes might be the key. Quick one-twos, like the link-up between Dane Scarlett and Damola Ajayi against Elfsborg, could help break them down.
Our prediction
The main threat for Brentford is undoubtedly Bryan Mbeumo. With 14 goals in 23 league appearances, he is the danger man. As mentioned, he will be lurking around the centre circle, waiting to pounce on counter-attacking opportunities. Archie Gray, or whoever plays at right-back, will need to be alert, as Mbeumo’s physicality could be a challenge. Keeping the ball away from him should be the priority.
For Tottenham, the key player to watch is, surprisingly, Heung-min Son. His footwork and dribbling against Elfsborg lit up N17. He completed the most dribbles and won the most duels despite only playing one half. The youngsters will also be worth keeping an eye on—they have Tottenham in their blood and are desperate for their opportunities.
With just a few days left in the transfer window, Spurs have done little besides being linked to names. There was hope that Mathys Tel would accept Spurs’ offer after Daniel Levy held face-to-face talks with him and his agent. But perhaps one look at the league table was enough for him to turn it down. Meanwhile, Spurs are still being linked with names left and right, but only time will tell if any deals materialise.
For now, the focus has to be on climbing the table, because there’s no further down to go. It’s tough to expect a league win these days, but something about this game feels different. Maybe this is the moment Spurs finally turn things around.
Predicted score: Brentford 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur. COYS.