Brentford lineup vs. Crystal Palace: Predicted XI for Premier League clash

Brentford will be without three players for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Summer signing Antoni Milambo is ruled out for the rest of the season with an ACL injury and he is joined in the treatment room by Benjamin Arthur (knee) and Josh Dasilva, the latter re-joined the Bees last week on a contract until the end of the season but still need continues his rehabilitation after suffering a significant knee ligament injury in February 2024.

Yegor Yarmoliuk was forced off in the first half of Brentford’s 3-2 Premier League win over Liverpool last weekend with a hip injury, but head coach Keith Andrews has confirmed that he is fit to play on Saturday, as is full-back Aaron Hickey who has missed the last two games with a knock to his knee.

Andrews made nine changes to his starting lineup for Tuesday’s emphatic 5-0 victory over Grimsby Town in the EFL Cup fourth round and he may revert to a similar side to the one that beat Liverpool.

The Bees boss will also weigh up whether to match Crystal Palace by playing a back five, or stick with a four-man defence including Michael Kayode, Nathan Collins, Sepp van den Berg and Kristoffer Ajer. Caoimhin Kelleher, meanwhile, is set to return in goal.

Either Mathias Jensen or Vitaly Janelt is likely to start in midfield alongside Jordan Henderson if Andrews decides against recalling Yarmoliuk, while Mikkel Damsgaard should return to play in an advanced midfield role.

Igor Thiago has netted six goals in his nine Premier League starts for Brentford this season and he is expected to lead the line once again, with support provided in attack by Kevin Schade and Dango Ouattara, though Reiss Nelson will be pushing for a start after scoring and assisting against Grimsby.

Brentford possible starting lineup: Kelleher; Kayode, Collins, Van den Berg, Ajer; Henderson, Yarmoliuk; Schade, Damsgaard, Ouattara; Thiago

> Click here to see how Crystal Palace could line up for this contest