Last updated September 14th, 2023
With the first international break of the new season done and dusted, it’s back to business in the Premier League. Saturday’s televised fixture sees Newcastle United take on Brentford (5.30pm; TV: Live on Sky Sports). Can the out-of-form Magpies take the sting out of the Bees? This NUFC vs Brentford Bees EPL match preview, with its betting tips, plans to clarify.
For a new-look Newcastle team that quickly became one of the most impressive sides in the Premier League last season, the new campaign started predictably well. Eddie Howe’s men trounced Aston Villa in front of a home crowd on match-day one, shifting through the gears to score five goals. However, the Magpies have gone off the boil somewhat sharply since that opening-weekend win. They were beaten by Manchester City on match-day two, while despite leading and having a numerical advantage, they lost against Liverpool next time out, a result which preceded something of an embarrassment on the south coast. After losing to Brighton (3-1), Saturday’s hosts now need to bounce back.
For Brentford, the new season has very much followed the old. Thomas Frank’s men are still a very useful side, one that is anything but easy to get the better of. They battled stoutly for a draw against a much-improved Tottenham team on match-day one, before going on to soundly beat Fulham second time out. They have since been held by both Bournemouth and Crystal Palace at home, which may have disappointed fans ever so slightly, though the Bees remain unbeaten, which is promising.
Magpies not packing a punch
When the Magpies sprang into life on match-day one, scoring five goals on their way to picking up a resounding victory, they looked like a very menacing side, but they’ve rather rapidly reverted to offering little in the way of forward potency.
Eddie Howe’s men never really looked like scoring against Manchester City, though they can be forgiven for that effort. What is less forgivable is the fact that they failed to press home their advantage when a man up against Liverpool at home, while it is fair to say that they were lacking in terms of both creativity and end-product at the Amex last weekend.
Saturday’s visitors, tough to beat as they are, haven’t exactly been imperious at the back, which should mean that the home forwards fancy themselves to make an impact. They will certainly have to muster more than the two shots on target that they registered last time out.
Visiting Brentford offering plenty in final third
While the hosts arrive here having struggled to really be at their best offensively of late, the Brentford team continue to enjoy themselves going forward. Thomas Frank seemingly has a well-oiled attacking machine, one that contains real useful cogs such as Bryan Mbeumo, who has already scored four times in the Premier League this season. Overall, the Bees have scored eight goals, scoring two or more in three out of four, which is relatively impressive. They will arrive at St. James’ Park having not only scored twice against Bournemouth last time out, but having produced an eye-catching 2.91 expected goals, registering a pleasing 21 shots in the process. Can they offer more of the same now on their travels?
Bees looking for a first win
Since coming up to the Premier League, Saturday’s visitors are without a win against Newcastle, despite having had four bites at the cherry. They have lost three of those four games, losing by five goals to one at St. James’ Park last season. When the teams last met, back in April of this year, Newcastle won by two goals to one away from home. Interestingly, both teams have scored in three of the four Premier League renewals of this fixture, with three or more goals being scored in three of those four too.
Go for visiting goals
At what appears to be quite a generous price, ‘Brentford to Score Over 1.5 Goals’ catches the eye. Of course, the Magpies have far too many good players to stay in this slump for long. They have far from covered themselves in glory of late, while the early odds available simply underestimate the forward quality that the visitors possess.
What is more, after recent results the hosts will be keen to come out and play here. They cannot afford to deliver another underwhelming effort and are likely to get on the front foot. Such an approach could very easily bring about offensive joy, but it may also cost them defensively, as the Bees can sting quite viciously on the break.
Thomas Frank in post-match interviews at the start of this season, has alluded to the fact that his team is here to play and here to go toe-to-toe with teams, so don’t expect them to just sit back here. If they do at times, then it will be with springing back into life on the break in mind.
We saw Newcastle defensive vulnerabilities when they conceded twice against Liverpool at St. James’ Park and again when they surrendered three at Brighton last week. The visitors have the taste for multiple goals, scoring three in their previous travelling fixture.
With the pace and directness of Kevin Schade, Wissa and Mbeumo, Brentford really do carry a serious threat, one that is not being given enough respect in the early betting with our recommended bookmakers, and it is on that basis that the visitors are worth betting on to continue their fine scoring form by notching at least twice more on Saturday. So for the betting tips for this EPL game preview, we suggest this one:
- Brentford to score over 1.5 goals (in the ‘total away goals’ market) @ best odds of 11/4 with Bet365 and BetVictor.
Bradley Gibbs is an experienced football writer. He is an expert analyst on Premier League, and all global football leagues & tournaments, for Just Bookies. Bradley has been published by many respected outlets, including USA Betting and the Racing & Football Outlook. He has also written betting strategy guides.