Preview: Brentford vs. Plymouth Argyle - prediction, team news, lineups

Premier League broadside Brentford invited Championship strugglers Plymouth Argyle to the Gtech Community Stadium for an FA Cup third-round necktie connected Saturday afternoon.

The 2 teams butt heads for the archetypal clip since February 2011 erstwhile the Bees bushed the Pilgrims 2-0 successful League One.

Match preview

© IconSport

Brentford ended a five-game winless tally crossed each competitions erstwhile they cruised to a ascendant 5-0 victory distant against Premier League basement nine Southampton past play - their archetypal league triumph connected the roadworthy this play astatine the 10th clip of asking.

Thomas Frank labelled his team's thrashing of the Saints arsenic 1 of the "biggest moments" of his six-and-a-half-year tenure with the Bees, who beryllium 11th successful the top-flight standings and lone six points down the apical seven.

One of Brentford's standout performers this play has been influential attacker Bryan Mbeumo, who netted a brace against Southampton to summation his Premier League extremity tally to 13. The Cameroon planetary has scored successful 10 abstracted matches this season, which tin lone beryllium bettered by Mohamed Salah (14) and Alexander Isak (11).

Brentford present crook their attraction to the FA Cup and volition endeavour to debar a 3rd successive third-round elimination aft losing 3-2 to Wolverhampton Wanderers successful a 2023 replay and 1-0 astatine location to West Ham United past season.

The Bees, who enactment unneurotic a 10-game unbeaten location tally successful each competitions earlier losing their past two, caput into their third-round necktie with Plymouth person ne'er beaten the Pilgrims successful 9 erstwhile attempts successful the FA Cup (D3 L6), thing they volition beryllium keen to alteration connected Saturday.

© Imago

Since the departure of Wayne Rooney arsenic caput coach, Plymouth person made an unbeaten commencement to 2025, though their winless streak successful each competitions has present been extended to 11 games - November 5 was the past clip they tasted occurrence (1-0 astatine location to Portsmouth).

A 2-2 gully with Bristol City connected New Year's Day, erstwhile a constituent was rescued acknowledgment to a 91st-minute equaliser, was followed by past weekend's goalless stalemate astatine Stoke City, and they stay rooted to the ft of the Championship table, albeit lone 3 points adrift of safety.

Plymouth president Simon Hallett hopes to beryllium capable to denote a caller caput manager successful the "very adjacent future" amid reported involvement successful erstwhile Cercle Brugge brag Miron Muslic. In the meantime, archetypal squad manager Kevin Nancekivell and nine skipper Joe Edwards volition proceed to pb the team.

Before preparing for a tally of 3 consecutive Championship location games, Plymouth volition effort to beforehand from the 3rd circular of the FA Cup for the 4th clip successful the past 5 seasons, and to bash truthful volition request to bushed Brentford for the archetypal clip since December 2003 (2-0 successful League One).

However, the Pilgrims caput into Saturday's contention having won nary of their past 16 FA Cup matches against top-flight absorption since a 1-0 triumph implicit West Bromwich Albion backmost successful February 1984, a twelvemonth successful which they progressed each the mode to the semi-finals.

Brentford signifier (all competitions):

Plymouth Argyle signifier (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago

Brentford's Ethan Pinnock (hamstring), Aaron Hickey (thigh), Kristoffer Ajer (ankle), Fabio Carvalho (groin), Ben Mee (muscle), Josh Dasilva (knee), Gustavo Nunes (back) and Igor Thiago (infection) each stay unavailable for selection.

However, left-back Rico Henry is successful contention to marque his archetypal quality for the elder squad since sustaining a superior genu wounded successful September 2023, though helium is not yet acceptable to play 90 minutes.

Keane Lewis-Potter - who extended his Bees declaration until 2031 connected Wednesday - has played astatine left-back successful caller weeks, but helium could beryllium moved into an precocious relation retired wide, portion the likes of Hakon Valdimarsson, Kim Ji-soo, Yehor Yarmolyuk and Vitaly Janelt could each beryllium handed starts.

As for Plymouth, Joe Edwards, Muhamed Tijani and Mustapha Bundu each stay sidelined with injuries, portion Ryan Hardie volition beryllium assessed aft missing the past crippled with a enarthrosis problem.

Callum Wright is disposable for enactment aft serving a three-match prohibition and the attacking midfielder could instrumentality to the starting lineup astatine the disbursal of Rami Al Hajj.

The Pilgrims announced the indebtedness signing of Polish planetary left-back Tymoteusz Puchacz connected Thursday and person confirmed that their caller No.17 has been registered successful clip to marque his debut connected Saturday.

Brentford imaginable starting lineup:
Valdimarsson; Roerslev, Ji-soo, Van den Berg, Henry; Jensen, Janlt, Yarmolyuk; Schade, Wissa, Lewis-Potter

Plymouth Argyle imaginable starting lineup:
Hazard; Szucs, Pleguezuelo, Galloway; Sorinola, Randell, Gyabi, Puchacz; Wright, Whittaker; Obafemi

We say: Brentford 4-1 Plymouth Argyle

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