A Premier League Fixture That Consistently Delivers Drama
If you're a fan of goals, clear your schedule for Brentford vs. Newcastle. This fixture holds the highest goals-per-game average (a whopping 4.1) of any Premier League pairing to have met at least eight times. In their eight previous encounters, 33 goals have flown in, with half of those matches featuring six or more. It’s pure, unadulterated entertainment.
The context for both teams, however, is one of frustration. Brentford, so strong at home against non-London teams, are coming off a game where they had plenty of the ball but created very little. Newcastle, meanwhile, are in a rut on the road, winless in eight away matches and struggling to convert their chances, with a paltry 4% shot conversion rate during that run.
This sets the stage for a potential explosion. Will the historical trend of goals break Newcastle's away-day blues and Brentford's creative block? The Bees have a unique weapon: their long-throw ins have been a potent source of goals at home this year. In striker Igor Thiago, they have a relentless presser and a man in form in front of goal. For Newcastle, the hope lies with players like Jacob Murphy, who is looking to score in three consecutive games for the first time and has been a consistent source of goal involvements.
This is unlikely to be a tight, cagey affair. The history points towards an open game with chances at both ends. For Newcastle's Eddie Howe, whose team has their lowest points tally at this stage under his leadership, and for Brentford's Thomas Frank, who needs to get back to winning ways, this is a crucial match. But for the neutral, it’s a near-guaranteed spectacle.
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