Brentford and Crystal Palace meet on the weekend in the Premier League but this is not a fixture which has much of a recent history behind it. But Football FanCast has everything you need to know ahead of their meeting on Saturday.
Two game weeks are now behind us in the 2023/24 Premier League campaign and both sides have made respectable starts to their seasons, however, the game on the weekend will offer both teams a big opportunity to earn what would be an impressive three points.
Although the Bees come into the game on Saturday with a slight advantage in the table, Roy Hodgson's Eagles will be looking to bounce back after their narrow defeat against last season's runners-up.
Brentford vs Crystal Palace: After previous matches, what's their head-to-head record?
Although the two London clubs have met over their histories across the South Divisions, it is not a matchup which has provided much recent history.
Indeed, prior to Brentford's promotion to the English top flight back in 2021, the last meeting between these two sides came all the way back in 1977 when they faced off in the League Cup.
Their first meeting came well over 100 years ago when they met in the FA Cup in 1907, however, since then, there have only been 42 games across all competitions which has seen the Eagles narrowly edge the number of victories.
Brentford wins: 14 Draws: 2 Crystal Palace wins: 17 Brentford vs Crystal Palace: What's their record at Brentford?
Out of the 42 meetings between these two sides over the years, exactly half of them have come at the home of the Bees. And the west London side hold a seriously impressive record at home against the Eagles.
Although a lot of these meetings have come between 50-100 years ago, Brentford have recorded more than double the number of victories against Palace as they have recorded defeats.
Recent results may not provide fans of much hope about seeing a home win on the weekend, but they do show just how solid the Bees have been on home soil since moving into their new stadium.
Out of their 19 games at home last season, Brentford were able to take an impressive 37 points away from those games.The Bees were able to record 10 wins and seven draws but the most impressive stat coming in the way of just two defeats.
And this season has seen the Bees make an equally strong start at home with a resilient 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur who have been receiving rave reports from some in the media under their new boss Ange Postecoglou.
Brentford wins: 11 Draws: 6 Crystal Palace wins: 4 Brentford vs Crystal Palace: What's their Premier League record?
Given the Bees were only promoted to the Premier League back in 2021, meetings between these two sides in England's top flight are few and far between.
On just four occasions have these sides met in the Premier League and every single meeting has ended as a draw with just four goals having been scored between them.
Their two games in Brentford's first campaign in the Premier League, both of the games in west and south London ended goalless with 180 minutes of football unable to separate the sides.
Although there were only two positions in the league separating these two sides at the end of last season, there was a whopping 14 point difference between ninth placed Brentford and 11th placed Palace.
Both sides have opened the season with a win from their opening two games, however, it is the Bees who have the slight advantage having also recorded a draw.
Brentford vs Crystal Palace: What is the Brentford's biggest win between these sides?
Recent results between these two teams has provided a lot to be desired for the neutral, however, over the years there have been some thrilling meetings.
One of Brentford's biggest ever wins came in this fixture when the Bees ran out as 8-2 victors over the Eagles when they met back in 1930 in the South Division Three.
It turned out to be a real Christmas Day treat for the Brentford fans but what was to follow on Boxing Day proved to be a bruising affair…
Brentford vs Crystal Palace: What is the Crystal Palace's biggest win between these sides?
On the following day, the Eagles were able to seek some form of revenge when they hosted Brentford and were able to beat the west London side 5-1 at their south London home.
In the meeting prior to Brentford's 2021 promotion to the Premier League – which came in 1977 – Palace also ran out 5-1 victors when the two sides met in the League Cup.
Brentford vs Crystal Palace: What happened in last season's fixtures?
Meetings in the Premier League are few and far between when it comes to these two sides and the four meetings since Brentford's 2021 promotion have not exactly been classics.
However, last season's meetings did provide slightly more entertainment than their two clashes in the 2021/22 campaign.
Once again, 180 minutes of football were unable to separate the sides with both games ending as draws, but at least there were some goals for the fans to celebrate as both games ended 1-1.
Brentford vs Crystal Palace: What is Yoane Wissa's record?
Given there has been so few goals between these sides in recent years, there is no player, in particular, which holds a strong record in this fixture. But Yoane Wissa did find the back of the net in their meeting at Selhurst Park in August 2022.
Amid the absence of Ivan Toney, the 26-year-old's role in Thomas Frank's attack will be put under further importance for the foreseeable future and he has certainly responded well with a goal in each of their opening two Premier League games.
Brentford vs Crystal Palace: What is Eberechi Eze's record?
Only two Palace players have scored against the Bees in the Premier League and one of those is the recently departed Wilfried Zaha. The only other player to have found the back of the net for the Eagles in this fixture is Eberechi Eze.
The 25-year-old is yet to get off the mark for the Eagles this season, however, the departure of Zaha will put more emphasis on the need for Hodgson's young guns to step up in front of goal.
Brentford vs Crystal Palace: What are the recent results?
Last season saw Palace host the first meeting between these two sides which, ironically, also came in the latter stages of August. As previously mentioned, 90 minutes at Selhurst Park was not enough to separate these two sides.
Palace looked to have sealed the points in south London with Zaha's goal in the second half looking enough to beat the Bees, however, Wissa was able to rescue a point for the travelling side with an 88th-minute goal to send the visiting fans into raptures.
The two sides then met back in April when it was Brentford's turn to host the fixture which once again ended in a 1-1 draw.
In a fixture which has proved so hard to separate these sides, this meeting panned out in an almost identical fashion to the previous meeting in south London. Palace were handed the lead through Eze in the second half but Vitaly Janet secured a point for the hosts in the dying minutes of the game.
Brentford vs Crystal Palace: When is it?
Frank's men will host the Eagles on Saturday at 3pm (BST) in west London. Recent history would suggest this is not a fixture which will provide fans with a thrilling encounter, however, both sides will be looking to get one over on a fellow London side.
The Bees will go into the game with a big opportunity to continue what has been an impressive start to the new campaign which has them sitting inside the top four. However, they will be coming up against a well organised Palace side under Hodgson.
Since the return of the 76-year-old manager, Palace have looked rejuvenated and have only lost three of the 12 games under the Englishman's latest rein.
Although Palace were unable to pick up any points on Monday night, they were able to hold their own against one of the favourites to get their hands on the title this season. But there is no room for moral victories in the Premier League and Hodgson will be hoping for an instant reply from his side.
Question marks will have been asked of Brentford having lost their star striker, Toney, to a long-term ban, however, Frank's side look just as impressive in the early stages of this season and five goals from their opening two games would suggest they will not have any issues in front of goal as they await the return of their England international.
